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Recording By Polk Murder-Suicide Shooter Shows Anger

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 23, 2008

Before showing up at his ex-wife's house Saturday night, killing her and seriously wounding her first ex-husband before turning the gun on himself, Khemraj Dhani recorded his rage on tape, Polk County deputies say.

A recording was found in the 51-year-old Dundee man's pocket after the attack.

"He does express his rage towards his ex-wife and her first husband and for losing his home – and at the court system," Polk County sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Wood said today. "On the tape, he expresses his anger, and you can certainly hear that emotion in his voice."

The recording has not been made available to the media.

The attack began shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday.

Dhani showed up at 706 Adams Ave. in Dundee, broke out a window next to the door, stuck his arm in and began randomly firing a semiautomatic handgun, Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Dhani's 17-year-old daughter, who was on a couch, ran into a bathroom, locked the door and climbed out to safety, Judd said.

Dhani then entered the house, found his ex-wife, Kalowti Dhani, 49, and killed her. He then shot her first ex-husband, who was visiting the home. Dhani then shot himself in the head.

When deputies arrived, they found the first ex-husband on the ground outside the home.

Deputies screamed at him to put his hands up.

"He told them he couldn't put his hands up because he had been shot," Judd said.

A deputy dragged the man half a block to an ambulance as another deputy covered him. A sheriff's SWAT team was called out, which found Dhani and his ex-wife dead.

The first ex-husband has been identified by deputies as Bridjnath, 50. Deputies say his driver's license lists Bridjnath as his full name.

He remains in critical condition in a Polk County hospital, deputies said today.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com.

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