Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The gunman who killed five people in Northern California last month died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head rather than by police, according to an autopsy.
Kevin Janson Neal, 44, died from his own .45 caliber pistol wound in the driver's seat of the vehicle, the Tehama County Sheriff's Department said Friday in a news release. The sheriff's department also said he acted alone.
Neal killed four people on Nov. 14 in the remote community of Rancho Tehama Reserve about 125 miles northwest of Sacramento, police said. One day earlier, Neal killed his wife in their trailer home.
A Corning police officer fired four rounds at the shooter and a sheriff's deputy fired eight rounds at the time Neal shot himself dead.
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Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston told the Sacramento Bee officials believe the suspect's wound was the only time that Neal used the pistol. At other times he used a semi-automatic rifle.
Sheriff Dave Hencratt has concluded the officers involved in the shoot-out acted within the law.
Authorities have called Neal a "madman on the loose."
After killing his wife, Barbara Ann Glisan, on Nov. 13 and hiding her body beneath their home, the next day he killed two of his neighbors, one of whom he had assaulted in January.
After killing them, Neal drove to Rancho Tehama Elementary School in apparent pursuit of a victim's son. Neighbors said he had previously threatened to kill him.
After leaving the school, Neal killed two others.
