DALEVILLE — Court documents reveal a 38-year-old veteran from Daleville was gunned down in a remote cemetery after confronting a group who had sped down his road and nearly struck his wife while shouting profanities and making obscene gestures toward her.
Three juveniles were also present at the cemetery, according to the documents, witnessing the killing firsthand.
Alexander Geesy, 18; Brandi Zirkle, 31; Ryan Geesy, 22; Dawn Schattner, 53 — all of Anderson — have been arrested and charged for allegedly taking part in the killing of Randall Coomer of Daleville.
Alexander Geesy faces the sole charge of murder, witnesses telling police it was the 18-year-old who pulled the trigger and gunned down the Marine Corps veteran.
According to court documents, Zirkle, Ryan Geesy, Alexander Geesy, Schattner, and three juveniles drove out to Sharp Cemetery on July 22 in order to celebrate a birthday. Schattner and one of the juveniles were in a white Ford Explorer while Alexander, Ryan, Zirkle and the other two juveniles were in a red Ford Focus, according to the suspects’ own interviews with police.
Stephanie Coomer, the wife of Randall Coomer, had been parked alongside County Road 500 W. in order to fetch her mail from her mailbox when the Focus and the Explorer came racing down the road shortly before 2 p.m. Stephanie told police she had nearly been struck by the speeding vehicles and that as they passed, occupants from the red Ford Focus shouted profanities and made obscene gestures toward her.
One of the juveniles told investigators afterward the same details, stating the occupants of the Focus flipped off Stephanie as they passed by on the way to the cemetery. The juvenile said the occupants of the Focus had shouted at Stephanie and flipped her off because she’d been parked on the wrong side of the road while she was getting her mail.
Stephanie watched as the vehicles raced down to the bend in CR 500 W. and turn into the small, wooded entryway to Sharp Cemetery. Stephanie drove up to her home and, while still sitting in her car, told her husband about what had just occurred. Randall Coomer then decided to drive down to the cemetery and confront the group, wanting to tell them to slow down, Stephanie told police.
At 2:02 p.m., Stephanie called Randall becoming worried for his safety. During her conversation, Stephanie heard “metal clanging sounds” she took for gunfire. The frightened wife hurried off toward the cemetery just in time to see the Focus and Exploring peeling out and racing south on CR 500 W.
As both vehicles raced past Stephanie, once more the occupants shouted profanities and flipped her off. In the cemetery the group had just left, Randall Coomer laid in a ditch with a gunshot wound through his heart.
By the time first responder arrived on scene, Randall was dead. Left behind at the scene were tire tracks, missing chunks of soil, a spent .40 caliber shell casing and a “Mr. Frog” lanyard containing two keys.
Gunned down in a cemetery
Schattner later told police they’d gone to the cemetery to see gravestones. She never expected they’d be creating another.
Both suspects and juveniles witnesses told investigators that Randall Coomer arrived at the scene angry that the occupants of the Focus had sped down the road and flipped off his wife. Schattner told police Randall was “verbally violent”, heated about the profanities shouted at Stephanie Coomer. This led to a confrontation between Randall and Ryan Geesy.
“I’m crazy and I get a check for that s***, don’t **** with me,” Randall warned Ryan Geesy, according to a police interview with Schattner.
The suspects claimed the conversation grew more intense leading to Randall allegedly striking Ryan Geesy. This is when Alexander Geesy drew a black handgun and pointed it at Randall, Schattner and the juvenile witnesses said.
Alexander Geesy reportedly ordered Randall to get on the ground, firing a warning shot at one point. Randall didn’t comply, however, and tried to retreat to his truck. Alexander fired again, causing Randall to run.
Alexander reportedly fired several more shots as Randall tried to escape, the veteran falling into a ditch after being struck.
Schattner told police everyone then ran. In the car, Alexander Geesy began to panic, franticly saying he was going to go to prison and he was only 18. After dropping off Schattner and the juveniles, Zirkle and the Geesys fled to Tennesee.
Zirkle later told police that while in Tennessee the three discussed an elaborate scheme in order for Ryan Geesy to take the fall for Alexander Geesy. After police arrested the Geesys and Zirkle in Muncie on July 29, Zirkle at first told police that it had been Ryan who pulled the trigger.
But Zirkle later recanted her story, saying she had wanted to try and protect Alexander because she loved him but in truth it was him who shot and killed Randall Coomer.
Ryan Geesy also tried to take the fall for the shooting, according to police, but later admitted it was his brother who shot Randall Coomer on July 22. Alexander Geesy would eventually admit to shooting Randall Coomer as well, telling police they fled to Tennessee without offering aid to Coomer or even calling 911 because they were scared.
Court documents also reveal that on July 29, before Zirkle and the Geesys were arrested, Ryan Geesy called a detective and claimed to have Alexander and Zirkle as hostages in Muncie.
Stephanie Coomer told FOX59 she doesn’t believe her husband punched anyone and said, “their story is disgusting and they are just trying to make themselves look good and having a whole week to make up lies.”
Unraveling the truth
Police spoke to Schattner, the mother of Zirkle, on July 25 asking about her daughter and the Geesys. In initial conversations with police, Schattner denied knowing anything about why officers may be searching for Zirkle and the Geesys. She never mentioned being at the cemetery.
But on July 28, Schattner changed her tone while in the hospital and contacted police to tell them she’d witnessed a homicide.
Schattner ended up telling detectives the whole story, stating she just wanted to protect her children. She even admitted to giving Alexander Geesy the Ford Explorer in order to allow him and her daughter to flee the state.
After speaking with Schattner, police were led to a home belonging to a relative of the Geesys. At the Anderson home police found the red Ford Focus in a back alley. The Focus had soil clinging to the undercarriage consistent with the missing clumps in the cemetery near Randall Coomer’s body. Hanging from the rearview mirror was also a “Mr. Frog” lanyard, the same brand as the one found at the scene.
Police spoke to Geesy’s relatives who told investigators they’d let Alexander Geesy borrow the car since he didn’t have one of his own. A family member also told police she’d bought Alexander Geesy a .40 caliber handgun just a few days prior to the shooting after Alexander had pawned his own gun.
Footage later recovered by investigators showed both the white Explorer and the red Focus at a Get Go gas station in Anderson on July 22, roughly a half hour before the shooting. Alexander Geesy can be seen on surveillance footage exiting the driver’s seat of the red Focus to walk into the gas station. A handgun is seen on his hip, documents reveal.
When later speaking to police, Zirkle told police she signed away her legal rights to her children following the shooting after the children — ages 16, 14, and 8 — witnessed the killing.
Zirkle said she thought the kids would be safer with Schattner because, “clearly they weren’t with me,” according to the court documents.
Consequences and reflection
On Aug. 4, charges were officially filed against the Geesys, Zirkle and Schattner by the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office.
Alexander Geesy is charged with murder and obstruction of justice.
Ryan Geesy is charged with assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice.
Brandi Zirkle is charged with assisting a criminal, obstruction of justice, and three counts of neglect of a dependent.
Dawn Schattner is charged with assisting a criminal, obstruction of justice and neglect of a dependent.
Zirkle, Ryan Geesy and Schattner could face up to 6 years in prison on their most serious charge. Alexander Geesy faces between 45 and 65 years in prison for his murder charge.
After the arrests, Stephanie Coomer released the following statement to FOX59.
“I am eternally grateful to all of the officers and detectives in Delaware County. He was my entire world my heart and soul and I hope they pay for what they did to him.”
Stephanie Coomer, wife of Randall Coomer
