Family members say Paul Collen had been struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
His stepson, Josh Cromp, tells News10NBC Collen was not a psychopath.
Collen killed himself in Spencerport this week, hours after he abducted ex-girlfriend Jessica Northrup, with whom he'd had four children.
Before the abduction, he had twice violated restraining orders to stay away from her.
Cromp says Collen had been getting mental help and was dealing with the anniversary of a traumatic combat situation from his service as an Army Ranger.