David Meyers
A 17-year-old girl woke up Sunday night to see a naked man standing in her room. She immediately screamed for help. Her 64-year-old father, Robert McNally, ran to her aid and fought with the intruder while his wife called 911. When police arrived at the residence, they found McNally holding the man down in the hallway with his arm around the neck of the naked intruder. The naked man was David Meyers and he wasn’t putting up much of a fight any longer. He was dead.
52-year-old David T. Meyers was naked aside from wearing latex gloves and had conveniently brought along some rope, condoms and a knife. He had entered the home through a window near the girl’s bedroom. He was familiar with the house because a relative of his owned it. Meyers is also was also a convicted sex offender and registered as such in Marion County. He had served 10 years for criminal confinement and sexual deviant conduct. He was also wanted out of Boone County for failure to register as a sex offender.
The death is still under investigation, and while the autopsy report has not been released, it is being reported they feel Meyer, who had a heart condition, died of a heart attack. Police will not be charging McNally with anything.
“If a person breaks into your home, you are justified in using deadly force in defending your family,” said Police spokesman Sgt. Matthew Mount. “In this situation, I don’t think he was trying to kill him, he was trying to hold him down.”
It’s a shame that this family will relive that night for a long, long time and that McNally should have been able to sleep soundly knowing his family was safe, instead of having to grapple with a naked man who seems to have been interested in some illegal activity with the young girl. McNally seems like a down-to-earth guy as well.
“Nobody wins,” McNally told The Indianapolis Star. “It’s a lose-lose situation for everybody. He has family also.”
But the alternative could have been much, much worse and personally, I am glad that the planet is rid of one more piece of garbage.
38 responses so far ↓
1
DeziDoo
Sep 29, 2008 at 2:04 pm -Agree very much.
2
sarabei
Sep 29, 2008 at 2:09 pm -I give this man a standing ovation!! He has nothing to feel bad about!
3
RaVen Blackehart
Sep 29, 2008 at 2:35 pm -Robert McNally is a hero.
4
Castille
Sep 29, 2008 at 2:43 pm -The heart attack is a nice angle to absolve McNally from feeling he killed anyone. But I’d applaud him for a courageous defense of his family even if he’d throttled the guy to death.
5
jenjen0135
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:04 pm -YEA!
The little tune going thru my head was “Another-one-bites-the dust..”
Dude did not deserve to be breathing my air any longer.
6
Abroad
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:06 pm -He was armed and up to no good inside someone else’s home. I think there would be a good case for self-defence or defence of others even if the father had used a weapon. As it is he was fighting an armed man with his bare hands. He has absolutely nothing to answer for.
What a terrifying ordeal for the everyone living in the house.
7
IrishSparkle
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:08 pm -Ok, so the house was owned by a relative of DM, does that mean the guy was a relative OR the family that he broke in on was renting? This story is creapy for sure but if it were say his niece, it would be much more creapy!
I like the “Another Bites the Dust” tune…so fitting!
8
mjmsepm
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:08 pm -That dad shouldnt be charged with anything He saved his daughter!!!YAY! i’m glad it wasnt to late!
9
RockRGrl
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:23 pm -Nice work dad!!
10
ecvmanzo
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:27 pm -YAY Daddy! I love this story. A parent that actually did something instead of being the offender.
11
lakewriter51340
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:40 pm -This story is absolutely life-affirming.
There are still daddies out there who will use deadly force if necessary to protect their daughters. I know Mr. McNally didn’t mean to kill him but I’m sure if it came to a standoff, Mr. M would have chosen his daughter.
How absolutely precious in our world of dads who rape, molest, punch, kick, drag with a car, burn, freeze, starve, abandon, stomp, pimp out, and otherwise abuse their children to fit their own convenience.
I’m sure Mr. McNally would have thought it worth it to serve a couple of years for manslaughter if it came to that. Luckily the police and DA see this for what it was — very brave and sacrificial (how comfortable could it be to try to hold down a naked man, armed or not?) community service.
12
CassieMomma
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:45 pm -Good riddance. You have the “balls” to go into someone’s house with an intent to cause harm or possibly death, don’t expect to be treated courteously. Thank goodness her father was able to protect her and keep her safe. Hopefully this family will be able heal in time. Good job Dad!!!!
13
saltwatergirl
Sep 29, 2008 at 4:11 pm -Iactually heard about this one in the news this morning. Heart attack or whatever…the attacker got what he deserved. He would have had the same fate if it had been in our home.
14
michelle
Sep 29, 2008 at 4:28 pm -:rock on:
Yeah daddy!
Dude was naked with gloves and a knife. PD is lucky they didn’t show up and find asshole pedo with a knife stuffed up his ass. Personally think dad showed much restraint. Go pop go, so sad, too bad, another pedo bites the dust….
15
tjangel
Sep 29, 2008 at 5:51 pm -They announced today that the coroner ruled that he died by strangulation.
I found it interesting that the Meyer’s brother even said McNally did the right & heroic thing.
http://www.theindychannel.com/.....etail.html
16
Rhoni
Sep 29, 2008 at 6:18 pm -I second that… He got what he deserved..Actually he got less than he deserved IMO but it works for me..
17
jenthgr8
Sep 29, 2008 at 6:35 pm -I just adore McNally. This guy is a real hero. We need more parents like this in the world.
Bravo, sir.
18
lostlilgirl
Sep 29, 2008 at 7:30 pm -I agree, McNally did the right thing. Stories like this show there are good people in the world who would anything for their family. It gives one hope.
19
mousygirl
Sep 29, 2008 at 8:21 pm -robert mcnally is truly a hero. it is probably going to be hard for him, i don’t think anyone is comfortable with taking another person’s life, but hey, if anyone deserved it… =) you go, mr. mcnally, you’ll always be your daughter’s hero.
20
MoSue
Sep 29, 2008 at 8:48 pm -I agree Mousygirl. Normal people do not take joy in taking a human life, even if it was necessary. I imagine he has a bunch of mixed emotions, because he knows that what he did saved his daughter and countless other women in the future - but the moral code that is ingrained in so many of us tells us that killing another human being is wrong. I can only say to Mr. McNally that anyone who would violently rape a girl in her own bedroom is not human, so no guilt need be felt!
21
jenthgr8
Sep 29, 2008 at 8:58 pm -I was just having a heated debate with a friend about this. I’d be willing to put money on Mr. McNally having some kind of PTSD from this incident (his daughter, too). My friend says no, he’s a man who was just protecting his family, and has no need to feel guilt. I think regardless of what kind of a piece of shit the person is, if you kill someone with your bare hands, be it in self defense, protecting your family or not, you’re going to suffer from some pretty serious mental ramifications.
Then again, I’ve never killed anyone, bare hands or otherwise, so I can only speculate.
22
April
Sep 29, 2008 at 9:01 pm -GO DAD!! If faced with that situation, any of us would have done the same. Thank God the perv didn’t touch that young girl. I think it’s safe to say that her life is worth so much more than his.
23
The Masked Web Avenger
Sep 29, 2008 at 9:02 pm -Technically Mr. mcNally did not kill David Myers, Myers’s heart did. I bet the panick of going back to jail had as much to do with his death as the struggle. I hope the best for Mr. McNally and his family, and my condolances to Myers’s family, as they are not guilty of Myers’s crimes.
24
MoSue
Sep 29, 2008 at 10:09 pm -A post above says the coroner ruled by strangulation.
25
The Masked Web Avenger
Sep 29, 2008 at 10:14 pm -Damn, I missed that. Still a justifiable homicide as far as I’m concerned.
26
MoSue
Sep 29, 2008 at 10:28 pm -If this isn’t justifiable, I can’t imagine what is.
27
The Masked Web Avenger
Sep 29, 2008 at 10:33 pm -Agreed, I’m sure the DA isn’t losing sleep pondering this case.
28
feisty76
Sep 30, 2008 at 12:06 am -It is great to read about a father who protects his child rather than exploits her. I am glad that he reacted the way that he did but I imagine that he will be dealing with many emotions in the coming weeks and months. I hope that he finds peace.
29
The Masked Web Avenger
Sep 30, 2008 at 12:09 am -I’m sure it helps that Meyers’s own family is calling McNally a hero, and saying he did the right thing.
“[He] performed heroically. He did exactly what any father, any husband should do,” said Bill Meyers
30
Wonder
Sep 30, 2008 at 12:21 am -http://www.indystar.com/apps/p.....ckcomments
friends or not I wouldn’t be able to sleep another night in that house.
This girl is suppose to be having the best year of her life 17 I am assuming she is a H.S. senior.
I would like to hear this 911 call.
31
nadine
Sep 30, 2008 at 5:05 am -The dad did the right thing for sure, way to go DAD
32
Peeperann
Sep 30, 2008 at 10:07 am -Amen to that one. One less to worry about.
I’m with Raven, definatley a Hero. And I really hope he doesn’t feel bad about strangling him. He got what he deserved. Actually he got off easy.
33
CheekySweetie
Sep 30, 2008 at 10:46 am -Ms Anthony, THIS is the kind of behavior that earns a parent of the year award.
34
arnold11
Sep 30, 2008 at 5:42 pm -This man is my Hero! There should be shirts made, a parade, and a national holiday in his name.
35
Lilbay
Oct 1, 2008 at 5:01 am -I know this guy is likely not feeling great about what happened but i hope in time he can come to peace with it and he and his family can deal with it and move on.
Thank God he heard her that night that is all I can think about.
So glad this will be one less pedo on the streets.
My prayers to Both families.
36
redlipstick
Oct 2, 2008 at 11:43 pm -way to go dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you are a brave man that defended his family guy deserved to die you are a HERO
37
Josiej
Oct 5, 2008 at 12:55 pm -Wow, kudos to that ol’ Bob. He saved his daughter from God only knows what and maybe others too. Good things don’t happen when a naked man with latex gloves; rope and a knife crawl thru a window at night. Way to go Bob.
38
bluescot
Nov 2, 2008 at 1:49 am -This guy got off easy…. He should have went to prison and been Buba’s best friend… HMM maybe he was when he served 10 years and that was why he was so messed up….
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