ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Reisenauer trial recessed early

The trial for a Dickinson man charged with murder recessed an hour early Thursday afternoon, with the judge citing the defendant's "sudden illness" as the reason.

The trial for a Dickinson man charged with murder recessed an hour early Thursday afternoon, with the judge citing the defendant's "sudden illness" as the reason.

Michael Reisenauer, who is accused of shooting Kyle Goodbird, 19, became emotional and began breathing erratically while a video of him in an interrogation room was played at the Stark County Courthouse.

Reisenauer was escorted to the bathroom and court was called off for the day shortly after.

He was distraught in the video, which depicts him speaking at length to officers about the shooting.

"I don't even know if what I did was right or wrong," Reisenauer said in the video. "There's nothing else I could have done in that instant."

ADVERTISEMENT

Those who were at the Dickinson residence during the incident say Goodbird was aggressive before being shot. He reportedly took Reisenauer's gun, pointed it at people and pulled the trigger, though it wasn't loaded.

Reisenauer eventually got the weapon back and shot Goodbird.

Amber Quesada, the woman who was leasing the apartment at the time, and her younger sister testified Thursday.

The young teen said she saw the shooting occur from her sister's bedroom.

"I had her lay at the foot of the bed and bury herself -- so she was out of the way -- with blankets and stuff," Quesada said.

The young teen said she could see Goodbird's back as he "barricaded" Reisenauer in a utility room.

Witnesses of the shooting say Reisenauer and other people in the apartment had told Goodbird to leave numerous times before Reisenauer counted down and shot him.

The young teen could also hear Reisenauer telling Goodbird to leave and counting down.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It started from 10 and it went down and at about three I covered my ears because I got really scared," she said.

Quesada, who could also see Goodbird blocking Reisenauer into the utility room, said Goodbird lunged at Reisenauer before he shot him.

"I saw Kyle go into the storage room and then I heard the gun as he was going in," Quesada said.

A recording of the 911 phone call made after the shooting was also played. Reisenauer says he shot a man and begs for an ambulance to be sent quickly and says several times he doesn't want Goodbird to die.

Dickinson Police Officer Brian Koskovich, who responded to the incident, said he found Quesada and her sister in the bedroom and announced the discovery to the other officers.

"At that point Mr. Reisenauer said 'That's why I did what I did,'" Koskovich said.

Officer Dave Wallace Jr., who also responded to the incident, said when he got to the apartment Goodbird didn't have a pulse.

The trial will continue today at 9 a.m.

What To Read Next
Get Local

ADVERTISEMENT