But as the choir sang along to recorded music played through the church’s speakers, she saw Daniel Schooler follow his brother. Then she heard gunshots.
RELATED: Lawyer claims self for Dayton brother in death of pastor
“One of the ladies tried to get me to go out with the rest of the congregation,” Helen testified Tuesday during Daniel Schooler’s murder trial in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
Church secretary and clerk Alberta Blaythe and choir director Curtis Booker each said they heard two sets of shots. Most people ran out after the first set in what church staff and police officers said was a chaotic scene.
RELATED: Daniel School indicted for murder of his brother
Helen did not leave the church, instead going to her husband’s office, where she saw Daniel standing behind William’s desk with a gun in his hand.
“I asked Daniel to let me go to (William) and he said something about, ‘Bill shouldn’t have lied, he shouldn’t be a liar,’ ” Helen said. “And then he shot him again, right in front of me.”
RELATED: Competency hearing held about Daniel Schooler
Daniel, 69, is on trial for the murder of his brother, William, 70, who died Feb. 28, 2016, of four gunshot wounds.
Daniel was indicted on seven counts — aggravated murder, two counts of murder, felonious assault and two counts of having weapons under disability. He also faces a violent offender specification due to two first- or second-degree violent felony convictions in the past 20 years.
RELATED: Inheritance, mental health drove wedge between brothers
During Monday’s opening statements, defense attorney Jay Carter said there was an altercation that no one saw and that Daniel acted in self defense.
“As I ran out of the door, I could hear two more gunshots,” Booker said. “I know I heard four shots,” he added, estimating one second between the first and second shots and about 10 seconds between the second shot and the final two.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Mark Gokavi on Twitter or Facebook
Neither Booker nor Blaythe said they heard any raised voices or arguing coming from William’s office before shots were fired.
Daniel calmly answered when asked who the shooter was according to audio accompanying Dayton police dash-cam video and an officer’s testimony. “I am,” he said.
The trial is scheduled to resume today in Judge Steven Dankof’s courtroom.
About the Author