A Music Teacher To Spend The Rest of His Life Behind Bars For Shooting His Organist Ex-Wife While She Performed In Church

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A former Pennsylvania elementary school music teacher will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to killing his organist ex-wife as she performed during a church service last year.

Gregory Eldred, 53, of Coudersport, avoided a possible death penalty by pleading guilty to first-degree murder and will instead receive a mandatory life term without parole when he returns for sentencing by a Potter County judge Tuesday.

Eldred acknowledged that he gunned down 53-year-old Darlene Sitler at the First United Presbyterian Church of Coudersport December 2, 2012.

Killer: Gregory Eldred (left) pleaded guilty to shooting dead his ex-wife, Darlene Sitler (right), as she was playing the organ at a Pennsylvania church in December 2012

Worse for wear: Dressed in a yellow prison garb with his ankles shackled and his hands cuffed, Eldred appeared disheveled and distraught during the hearing

On his way: Eldred leaves the Potter County Courthouse in Coudersport, Pa., after entering a plea that will land him in prison for the rest of his life

Eldred had taught music in the Coudersport Area School District since 1986 and played clarinet for the Southern Tier Symphony Orchestra in nearby Allegany, New York.
His ex-wife also worked as a music teacher at the Northern Potter Children's School in a neighboring district for 30 years.

 

After the facts of his crimes were recited in court, Potter County Judge Stephen Minor asked Eldred, ‘Are those facts accurate? Did you do that?’
‘Yes, your honor,’ Eldred responded after a lengthy pause, according to The Bradford Era.
‘How would you like to plead? the judge then asked the haggard defendant clad in yellow e prison garb and shackles.
‘Guilty,’ Eldred replied, according to Potter Enterprise-Leader.

Crime Scene: The shooting took place at the First United Presbyterian Church in Coudersport, Pennsylvania

Cold-blooded: Witnesses say that Eldred walked up the middle of the church before shooting his ex-wife twice, once in the head and again in the chest

The couple had been divorced since August 2010, according to court records. Investigators have never detailed the precise motive for the shooting though District Attorney Andy Watson provided a vague explanation during Wednesday's plea hearing, saying Eldred killed his wife over ‘information she possessed.’

According to the state police, Eldred shot his ex-wife while she sat at the organ during church service and, after leaving briefly, returned and shot her again to ensure she was dead. Sitler, the choir director, was shot about 20 minutes into the 11am service.

Pastor Evon Lloyd told police that Eldred entered the church wearing a hooded jacket and ‘leveled a gun at the victim and shot,’ according to the criminal complaint.

Sitler fell into the organ pit before Eldred left the 180-year-old building and put the .45 caliber handgun on the hood of his vehicle while those inside called 911 and aided Sitler.

Music man: Eldred had taught music in the Coudersport Area School District since 1986 and played clarinet for the Southern Tier Symphony Orchestra

Another witness, Leslie Rolfe, said Eldred picked up the gun about five minutes later, while Rolfe tried to hold the church doors shut but couldn't.

Rolfe and his wife tried to persuade Eldred to drop his gun, but he threatened to shoot them and the pastor, saying, ‘I want to finish this,’ the complaint said.

Mystery motive: District Attorney Andy Watson said Eldred killed his wife over 'information she possessed,' but would not go into detail as to the nature of the information

Eldred then walked toward his ex-wife saying, ‘I got to see her. I got to see if she's dead,’ before firing two more shots, the complaint said.

Police said nobody else was hurt, though Eldred's gun went off, firing a bullet into a pew, once when Rolfe and other members of the congregation struggled to subdue him.

State police arrived minutes later and took Eldred into custody without incident. Authorities took also found one .40 caliber FNX handgun, four .40 caliber spent casings and three discharged rounds.

Sitler was described by Northern Potter Superintendent Scott Graham as 'the consummate professional' who was loved by kids and the community at large.

The victim taught music to all students in the Pre-K through 6th-grade school, and also headed the chorus and band for 5th and 6th graders. She's taught at the district since 1982, spending just one year after college teaching elsewhere before coming to Northern Potter, so the staff and students throughout the district knew her well, Graham said.

Meghan Palmatier, 22, was a former student of Stiler's for four years and remembered her fondly. She told the Westville Daily that 'Above and beyond the music, she was always someone you could chat with if you needed advice on anything.'

'She did both band and chorus. She taught me how to play percussion. She took myself and four other friends to the sixth-grade district chorus,' she said. 'I guess she really helped me become less shy. She was very encouraging, getting me involved in the music. She gave me a love for music.'

Legacy: A memorial scholarship fund has been established in Sitler's honor to offer financial assistance to high school seniors from Northern Potter

Since Sitler's tragic death, a memorial scholarship fund has been established in her honor. A number of events have been held benefiting the charitable rendezvous, including a recent 5K walk/run.

Before Eldred in sentenced next Tuesday, Sitler's family and friends, as well as people who had witnessed the shooting, will get an opportunity to give their impact statements in court, The Bradford Era reported.

Shortly after the tragedy, Shelly Butler, who grew up in Coudersport, told the Wellsville Daily that from her experiences with Eldred, she would not have expected that he was capable of doing what he did.

'He isn’t one of those people that you thought, "Oh yeah, that [the incident Sunday] was just waiting to happen." It was mind-boggling.'