Vester Flanagan’s family revealed they knew he was gay, accepted him
Vester Flanagan’s family revealed they knew he was gay, accepted him
A relative of depraved killer Vester Flanagan II reveals has told how was accepted by the family as a homosexual in an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Online.
The ex-news reporter shot dead two former colleagues during a live TV segment on Wednesday before turning the gun on himself.
In a chilling manifesto the 42-year-old described himself as a gay, black man, who had suffered discrimination from others.
But the gunman’s cousin Guynell Flanagan insisted his family knew of his sexual orientation and hadn’t disapproved.
Speaking from the house of Flanagan II’s father in Vallejo, California, Guynell told Daily Mail Online: ‘The whole family knew he was gay. We accepted him.
‘He’s not the only one in the family who’s gay and personally I couldn’t care less. Nobody has the right to take someone’s life. Nowadays you just see so much [murder].’
Guynell admitted she didn’t know if Flanagan II suffered from mental health issues but spoke to his father the night before he murdered reporters Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, in cold blood.
She said: ‘I don’t believe he had anger. If you haven’t seen a person in a long time then people can change but when I knew him as a child he wasn’t like that.
‘I talked to my uncle at least two or three times a week, some times more than that. I talked to him the night before and he didn’t say about [Vester] having problems.
‘I don’t know about that part of his life. I didn’t know he needed any help.
‘He wrote the manifesto but [the family] don’t believe a lot of what’s being said about him. We know Vester in different ways.’
Guynell, who turns 70 tomorrow, was at the house trying to reach her uncle Vester Snr after being unable to contact him on his cell phone to discuss plans for a birthday celebration.
‘On Sunday I’m having a dinner party with my family but I don’t know where [Vester Snr] is. He’s probably gone east [Virginia] to identify the body as next of kin.’
She revealed the last time she saw Flanagan II was 2013 when she hosted thanksgiving at her Vallejo home.
‘I saw him two years ago, he was at my house for Thanksgiving. He was with a friend, they came to eat,’ she said.
Asked whether or not he introduced his guest as a boyfriend she said: ‘I don’t know, I cooked gumbo and we were busy eating.’
At the time she says Flanagan II was employed but did not specifically know what job he held.
Speaking of the moment she saw news of the shocking murders she said: ‘I was sitting there looking at the news and it didn’t occur to me, I just woke up and it didn’t click it was our Vester. We can’t believe something like this would happen.
‘I’m grieving in my own way I don’t do a lot of crying. God will take care of this. I’m praying for my family and the victims’ families.’
The family are planning the funeral of Flanagan II after his suicide by turning the gun on himself.
‘They don’t go to church but my pastor would be happy to do it. I’ve already called him to discuss all of this, I told him we need prayer,’ Guynell added.
The family are Jehova’s Witnesses.
Earlier on Thursday family friend Norma Head, 67, arrived at the home to leave a small bouquet of lilies and a card of condolence.
Speaking exclusive to Daily Mail Online she said: The family are dealing with the funeral arrangements for their son, what a horrible thing to deal with.
‘I don’t know where he’ll be buried but I know they are hurting right now, they are hurting terribly. The whole family are going through a lot of pain and sorrow.’
Flanagan had made the claims that he was discriminated against because of his sexuality in a wrongful termination suit filed against the station whose staff he murdered.
He had previously posted images on social media of him when he was younger and written beside them: ‘Hell yeah I’ve been a high paid “companion.” You wish u could too!! Lol.’
He repeated the allegations in his 23-page ‘manifesto’ faxed to ABC before his death, saying he had been attacked because of his race and sexuality.
One family friend today brought flowers to Flanagan’s father’s home.
‘The family are dealing with the funeral arrangements for their son, what a horrible thing to deal with.’ she said.
‘I don’t know where he’ll be buried but I know they are hurting right now, they are hurting terribly. The whole family are going through a lot of pain and sorrow.
‘I’m leaving these flowers to let them know I’ve been thinking of them while they’ve been gone,’ she explained.
She continued: ‘I know Vester Snr very well, I know he’s very upset. He’s a friendly, thoughtful person and doesn’t deserve to go through this.
‘I see the one daughter at neighborhood watch meetings and she’s also very pleasant, very sweet. If something like this happened to one of my children I would be distraught.’
Asked whether Flanagan II had shown signs of mental illness or instability, Head told Daily Mail Online: ‘I didn’t ever imagine this would happen. To me it sounds like he had mental issues, it’s one of those things that slowly creeps up on people.’
