Hide Article Text (OCR)
Murder trial continuesBy JONI SADLEY C-E CorrespondentRIDGWAY — Left alone with the body of his best friend, Brent Eric Buehler told an Elk County jury on Tuesday that he was hysterical and then confused and wondered where to turn and what to do.Buehler, of Ridgway, is charged with third-degree murder and related offenses in connection with the Aug. 29, 1992, shooting death of 18-year-old Timothy Brown.Buehler took the stand in his own defense and was the only witness called by the defense.Buehler was charged by state police trooper Daniel J. Sadley with third-degree murder, a firearms violation andreckless endangerment.Buehler said he, Brown and Gary J. Streich Jr. went to sleep at about 10 p.m. on the night of the shooting at different locations at a campsite at which they were staying. Buehler said he was awakened by someone opening the sliding rear window of his pickup truck. In an effort to “scare them off,” he said he picked up his revolver from the truck floor and fired a shot out the window. He heard a thud and discovered Brown laying in the back of his truck.When he realized he had killed his friend, he went to awaken Streich for help.“I told him (Streich) what happened. At first he didn’t believe me. Then he got a flashlight and looked. Apparently,5uehlerhe got very scared too. He packed up to leave, Buehler said, adding “He told me whatever I do to tell police, he was not there. I asked him what I should do. He said he didn’t know. . .1 think I walked around in circles to think. I didn’t want to come into town to face our parents and tell them what happened.”Buehler said he finally pulled Brown’s body from the bed of his truck and laid him on the ground, with the .357 revolver used in the shooting beside him. Buehler said he was going to make the shooting look like a suicide.After starting back to Ridgway, Buehler had a change of heart. “1 couldn’t leave him like that,” he said. “I couldn’t tell Tim’s parents.” Buehlerin ownsaid he returned to the scene, took the revolver and covered Brown’s body with a sleeping bag.Buehler said he then went to his own home, got a shotgun, a Bible, fuel for his truck and drove toward Kinzua Dam. He found an abandoned camp and entered it with the intention of killing himself. He said he couldn't that, tried to sleep but, after a sleepless night, headed back to Ridgway.“I guess I made up my mind I had to go back and tell our families,” he said, noting he thought of a “hundred different stories” but decided to tell the truth.The version of the events that Buehler told police was that he fired shots in the opposite direction of thecampsite in an effort to wake Brown from sleeping. He heard a “thud” and discovered he had shot his friend, crediting a ricocheting bullet for the accident.After finding discrepancies in the story and at the crime scene, Sadleyand Cpl. James A. Catalone questioned Buehler again. On Sept. 3, Buehler admitted he made up the ricocheting bullet story.Closing arguments are expected today, after which Judge Gordon Daghir will instruct the jury as to the applicable law in the case before the panel of seven men and five women begins itsdeliberations.• *
Newspaper Details
DuBois Courier Express
DuBois, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Jul 14, 1993
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
PA, USA 05 Apr 2020
Other Publications Near DuBois, Pennsylvania
Dubois Pittsburg Post
DuBois Morning Courier
DuBois Daily Courier
DuBois Courier
DuBois Courier Express
