Truitt Guilty Of Arson, Murder ‘I Had To Do It For John,’ Fiancee Declares At Verdict By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.ALLOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – It took just over two hours for the jury to find Gabriel Trutt, 33, guilty of arson and murder in the Dec. 29, 2018, fatal fire at 5 Walling Ave., Oneonta, that killed John Heller. Heller, a former Oneonta fireman, got his four nephews and fiancée to safety before he was trapped in the third-floor…
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Gabriel Truitt trial
BULLETIN TRUITT GUILTY IN ARSON, MURDER COOPERSTOWN – Shortly after noon today, a jury found Gabriel Truitt guilty on all four counts of arson and murder charges in the Dec. 29, 2018, early morning fire at 5 Whalling Ave., Oneonta, where former Oneonta firefighter John Heller died. This is a developing story; please check back this afternoon for details. RECAP OF THE CASE Proceedings Underway in Truitt Case Investigator Testimony: Accelerant Under Door Accelerant Isopropyl Alcohol, Arson Expert Testifies Girlfriend:…
Truitt Case Heads To Jury In Closing Statements, Attorneys Debate Timeline By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to ALLOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – For two minutes, District Attorney John Muehl stood in complete silence. “Gabriel Truitt is at 5 Walling Avenue for two minutes,” he told the jury. “You may think that’s not much time, but you can get a lot done in two minutes, especially if you’ve planned to.” Muehl, along with Public Defender Michael Trosset, made their closing statements this afternoon…
TRUITT TRIAL: Day 4 D.A. Challenges Truitt’s Brother By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – In his testimony this morning, Terrence Truitt, the older brother of defendant Gabriel Truitt, said he went to 5 Walling Ave. – home of Heather Engler – to help his brother look for the keys he’d lost that night following a fight at the Sip & Sail Tavern. District Attorney John Meuhl wasn’t buying it. “The Sip & Sail is the opposite direction of…
TRUITT TRIAL: Day 3 Brother Disavows Testimony He Gave Grand Jury, Police By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – Gabriel Truitt’s defense lawyers this afternoon declared they hadn’t been provided a videotape of his brother Terrence speaking with OPD officers in February 2018 brought the fatal-arson trial to a temporary standstill this afternoon. Terrence also told the court the testimony he would give would be at odds with the statements he gave to grand jury and police, further…
TRUITT TRIAL: Day 3 Girlfriend: Suspect Fought Before Fatal Arson Fire Set By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – When Heather Engler woke up on Dec. 28 after staying with a friend on Rose Avenue, she had two missed calls and a message from her stepmother. “She texted me to say that Gabriel (Truitt) had messaged her to say my house was on fire,” Engler testified. “I got up and ran to my apartment, and the fire trucks…
