Police trooper testifies Derry husband researched ways to kill wife, defense says wife's story not plausible
Oct. 5—A Derry Township husband spent weeks researching potential methods to kill his wife, a state police detective testified on Thursday.
State Police Tpr. John Beynon told a Westmoreland County jury William "BJ" Dankesreiter Jr., 63, conducted multiple internet searches about chloroform, other forms of anesthesia, and uses for fishing wire over the month before his now former wife struck a trip wire and nearly fell down the stairs leading into the basement of their family home in Derry Township on Oct. 2, 2020.
Investigators said the search history found on the cellular phone of William Dankesreiter included topics such as how long chloroform remains in the body of a dead person and inquiries into the strength of fishing wire.
Dankesreiter is accused of installing a trip wire at the top of the stairs as part of a failed attempted to kill his wife, Laura. He is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment.
Prosecutors contend Dankesreiter was potentially having an affair with another woman and conceived of the death plot to collect on his wife's insurance policy.
Laura Dankesreiter testified earlier this week she barely avoided a fall down the basement steps when her foot struck the fishing wire, which was strung across the doorway about 2 inches from the floor.
Two years after the incident, she told police she found a bottle of chloroform hidden in a basement work area.
"She appeared to be in disbelief her husband would do something like this," Beynon testified. "She didn't believe it."
William Dankesreiter, during a video-recorded interrogation with police, viewed by jurors on Thursday, denied the allegations and claims that he was having an affair with a co-worker.
Dankesreiter told police he and his wife of 28 years were no longer intimate and they slept in separate bedrooms. He also claimed he did not know how or when a trip wire was strung in the family home.
Beynon testified police found a receipt and video that depicted Dankesreiter buying metal eye screws identical to those used to string up the trip wire two weeks before the alleged murder attempt.
The defense contends Laura Dankesreiter concocted the attempted murder allegations.
Andrew Rentschler, a biomechanic engineer hired by the defense, told jurors Laura Dankesreiter's story cannot be believed.
Rentschler said that because the trip wire was placed 2 inches above ground Laura Dankesreiter could not have hit the obstacle with her foot and avoided a fall down the stairs as she testified to earlier this week.
"Her testimony is inconsistent with where the trip wire was and how she would have encountered that," Rentschler testified. "How she prevented herself from falling is inconsistent with how her body would have reacted."
The defense is expected to continue presenting evidence when the trial reconvenes on Friday.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .
