Killer celebrated with Sutherland Springs churchgoers five days before the bloody rampage

Just five days before one of the most deadly shootings in Texas history, the shooter was among dozens that attended the annual fall festival at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. (Facebook photo) Just five days before one of the most deadly shootings in Texas history, the shooter was among dozens that attended the annual fall festival at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. (Facebook photo) Image 1 of / 78 Caption Close Killer celebrated with Sutherland Springs churchgoers five days before the bloody rampage 1 / 78 Back to Gallery

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS -- Just days before the killer opened fire killing 26 church goers he walked among them.

Five days before he would gun dozens of people down, Devin Patrick Kelley showed up at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs with his children for an annual fall festival. His appearance was unexpected because of the past family troubles, but people who saw him there thought it was a sign he was turning a corner.

"And they thought, 'oh this is good. This is progress,'" said Tambria Read, a longtime resident of Sutherland Springs who is good friends with Kelley's mother-in-law, the woman Kelley is said to have been targeting on Sunday but was not at church that morning.

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The mother-in-law, Michelle Shields told Read she was so excited to see Kelley there voluntarily with her grandchildren.

Read said people in the church and the community saw a potential to help Kelley.

"This church is very loving, nonjudgmental and if he had had concerns or issues and spoken with the clergy -- they're nonjudgmental," Read said in an interview just two blocks from where Kelley killed 26 and wounded at least another 20 people including children as young as 18 months old. "They would have helped him deal with his issues and helped him try to get focused."

On the church's Facebook page, more than 40 photos from the event show children in costumes playing games.

"Everything is free!" a post promoting the event days earlier showed. "Bring your kids and join us for this fun evening!"

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Read said Danielle Shields, the shooter's wife had worked at the church for years.

While there was trouble in the family Read said she's not sure exactly what was going on.

"You keep your family business to yourself," Read said. "She probably told Pastor Frank Pomeroy, she probably discussed that with him."

Police on Monday night confirmed that there was conflict within the family but would not provide further details.

Kelley altered the lives of people in Sutherland Springs forever when on Sunday, dressed in tactical gear, the former U.S. Air Force member open fire on unsuspecting worshippers.

RELATED: YouTube videos show what a normal Sunday looked like for tragedy-stricken Sutherland Springs church

Survivors of the shooting told a San Antonio television station that they played dead and huddled on the ground as Kelley fired.

"Everybody started screaming, yelling," Joanne Solis told KSAT-TV. "Everybody got down, under wherever they could hide."

Kelley had a history of violence, public records show. In 2012 he was court martialed for abusing this then-wife Tessa Kelley and his infant stepson, whom he admitted to beating so hard it fractured the boy's skull.

Jeremy Wallace writes about state politics and government for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter at @JeremySWallace