Pastor shot Jones 'multiple' times

PALMER -- One of two men shot and killed by a Big Lake pastor could have lived if he had received medical treatment, the state's deputy medical examiner said Thursday.

Dr. Susan Klingler testified in Palmer Superior Court that Frank M. Jones died of "multiple gunshot wounds" on April 24, the worst being from a bullet that entered his lower left back and lodged in his stomach.

"In reality, he died of blood loss from the gunshot wound," Klingler said.

She spoke during the trial of Phillip Mielke, 44, who faces felony charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. Assistant District Attorney Bob Collins said Mielke shot Jones, 23, and Chris L. Palmer, 31, in the back with a handgun as they fled the Big Lake Community Chapel.

Palmer died at the scene. Jones died hours later at a nearby home where he lived with Palmer and June Benedix.

Jones also was shot in the calf and just above the ankle, Klingler testified. Like the shot that created a half-inch entrance wound in his back, both of the other bullets entered Jones from behind, she testified.

Klingler said the bullets that hit Jones in the leg and ankle appeared to have gone through something or ricocheted off something before striking him. The back wound had direct penetration, she said.

The prosecution has said Mielke emptied his pistol by firing through a chapel window as one of the men fled. The two had gone to the chapel about 5 a.m. to steal food, he said.

Defense attorney Jim Gilmore has described the pastor's reaction as one of fear for his life. He confronted unknown people in the darkened chapel and was terrified for his safety when they did not obey his calls for them to stop, Gilmore told the jury.

Collins entered into evidence several photos of the chapel's entryway and stairway to the basement during Thursday's court session. Lights were on in each photo, which Gilmore noted on cross-examination of Alaska State Trooper investigator Leonard Wallner.

"You don't have any photos there with the lights turned off?" he asked.

Wallner said there were none, acknowledging it is "quite dark" in the chapel without lights.

Wallner took several photos of Mielke in the pastor's home adjacent to the chapel about three hours after the shootings. One showed Mielke still wearing the gun belt and holster he had under a flannel shirt when he went to investigate the disturbance in the chapel.

Another picture showed the baby monitor in Mielke's bedroom which woke him on the morning of April 24 and alerted him to the burglary. Mielke also had a police scanner in the bedroom, a photo revealed.

Collins used a mannequin to show jurors the location of Jones' bullet wounds. Stickers were placed on the foam body at the spots bullets entered.

Gilmore originally objected to the mannequin being used. With the jury out of the courtroom, he told Judge Beverly Cutler that the mannequin was smaller than either Jones or Palmer and it would be misleading to jurors. He wanted jurors only to see photos of the bullet wounds.

Cutler disagreed, saying the mannequin would benefit Klingler in describing the location of wounds.

Benedix, the dead men's house mate, was to have testified Tuesday, but did not appear in court. A warrant was issued for her arrest at Collins' request. She reportedly spent the final hours of Jones' life with him at the house.

On Wednesday, jurors visited the chapel at Mile 5 Big Lake Road. He told the judge that a rare site visit would give the jury a better idea of the cramped entryway where Mielke encountered Jones and Palmer.