From staff and wire reports COUDERSPORT -- A Benton native and beloved school teacher was gunned down in front of a church congregation by her ex-husband Sunday as she sat playing the organ during a morning service.
As Darlene Sitler, 53, lay wounded -- breathing and talking but unable to move -- elementary music teacher and symphony orchestra clarinet player Gregory Eldred fled with a .40-caliber handgun, arrest papers say.
Despite one congregant's efforts to hold doors shut to prevent Eldred from returning, Eldred busted back in about five minutes later with the gun to determine if Sitler was dead. And he threatened to shoot church members who intervened, the papers add.
"I want to see her," Eldred told churchgoer Dr. Beverly Prince, as she begged him to put the gun down. "I want to finish this."
As congregants struggled to get the gun away from Eldred, he shot Sitler twice more.
"At one point, (the gun) was pointed toward the ceiling. As the struggle continued, the weapon was pointed toward the congregation seating area and was fired again," arrest papers state.
The gun was finally knocked away from Eldred, Pastor Evon Lloyd recovered it, and congregants held Eldred down until police arrived.
Officers took Eldred, 52, into custody at the church and charged him with first-degree murder.
When Eldred phoned his sister at the State Police barracks at Coudersport, troopers set the phone to speaker mode and heard him tell his sister he had murdered his ex-wife, court papers say.
Eldred is locked up in prison with no chance for bail.
A check of online records gave no indication Eldred had a criminal history.
Police did not reveal a reason for the shooting in arrest papers.
Coudersport is near the New York state line.'Loved by everybody'Sitler, a 1977 Benton High graduate, was married over 20 years to Eldred.
They finalized a divorce about two years ago, said Sitler's mother, Martha Sitler of Orangeville, who had last seen her daughter Thanksgiving.
Darlene Sitler hasn't lived in the area since moving away to attend Lebanon Valley College. "Above and beyond the music, she was always someone you could chat with if you needed advice on anything," former student Meghan Palmatier told the Wellsville Daily Reporter in New York.
"She was always very encouraging, always smiling. She was very organized and patient, too."
Sitler taught music at the Northern Potter Children's School for 30 years. That elementary is in a district that neighbors the Coudersport Area School District where her ex-husband taught since 1986.
"I'm not just saying this because she was my daughter, but she was loved by everybody," Martha Sitler said Monday. "She directed the choir in the Presbyterian Church. She played the organ. And the piano, and whatever was needed.
"She's teaching some of the kids of parents she taught. That's the only place she's been."
Darlene Sitler and Eldred did not have any children, Martha Sitler said, who's husband Derl died in 2000.
Darlene Sitler is also survived by a pair of brothers locally -- Arden Sitler and Marlin Sitler.
Eldred's biography on the Southern Tier Symphony website says he has been the principal clarinetist for the symphony since 2003. It says he joined the Army and performed with the Army Band of New York City after graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
He taught music at all levels in Coudersport Area schools for 25 years.
His school biography said Eldred lived with his cat in Coudersport, adding he enjoys archery hunting, rifle hunting and golf.'Got to see her'Pastor Lloyd told investigators she saw Eldred enter the church through a side door wearing a beige jacket with a hood pulled up over his head.
After Eldred shot Bitler and she fell to the floor, Lloyd "began shouting (Eldred's) name and went over to the victim."
Leslie Rolfe, husband of Dr. Prince, told police he followed Eldred out the church after Eldred, a Mill Hall native, fired the first shot and fled.
Rolfe stood watch at the door.
"Rolfe stated he observed (Eldred) standing at a vehicle parked along Fourth Street," arrest papers state. "Rolfe stated he observed (Eldred) place the handgun on the hood of the vehicle."
After five minutes passed, Eldred picked up the weapon and walked back toward the church.
"Rolfe stated he attempted to hold the doors shut, but (Eldred) gained entry."
Rolfe heard Eldred say, "I got to see her. I got to see if she's dead."
Rolfe and others tried to wrestle the gun away, but Eldred fired two more shots, killing Sitler.
No one else was injured.
And police say no children witnessed the killing.
