ENOLA, Pa. -- Donald Meyer, the 58-year-old man who police say is responsible for the shooting death of his 12-year-old daughter Ciara, will head to trial, a Cumberland County judge ruled Tuesday.
Meyer is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, child endangerment, possession of a prohibited firearm, simple assault, and making terroristic threats. All charges will be held for trial after a preliminary hearing Tuesday in front of Magisterial District Judge Richard Dougherty.
"We’re happy with this outcome today," Ciara Meyer's aunt, Hope Rohde said following the hearing. "I personally hope it continues moving forward and he faces the murder charges and is convicted of them."
Police say Meyer pulled an assault rifle on Constable Clark Steele on the morning of January 11 when Steele arrived at the Meyer's apartment to serve an eviction notice. Steele's voice shook as he testified Tuesday, saying he had been to the Meyer's Pfautz Apartments home in Duncannon twice with eviction warnings. Steele said when he arrived on January 11 to evict, Donald Meyer opened the front door "six to eight inches" and said, "I'm not going to let that happen."
Video of the incident was shown inside the courtroom, shot on a cell phone from an estimated 20-25 foot distance by Pfautz Apartments manager Ashley Hill.
Moments after Meyer closed the door on Constable Steele the first time, video shows the door swinging open. Steele testified that Meyer had an automatic rifle strapped over his shoulder, which he swung up and pointed at his neck.
"He was going to kill me," Steele testified. "I know I was dying."
Steele then said he spun away from the door entrance so his back was against the front exterior of the apartment. Video shows he turned, saw Meyer, and fired one shot. Steele later learned his shot traveled through Meyer's arm and into the chest of 12-year-old Ciara, killing her.
"It was very hard to be court today," Hope Rohde said. "It was hard when the constable testified for me because I know his pain."
Donald Spoke spoke with reporters as he was led out of the hearing in handcuffs, calling the incident "one big cover-up."
"Heartbreaking," he said of the incident. "He shot right at my daughter. He seen her. He shot her. Through me of course."
Meyer's wife, Sherry, also testified. She said she was sleeping in the apartment living room when Constable Steele knocked at the door. Sherry Meyer said she didn't wake up until after her husband opened the door.
"You're not coming into my house," she remembered her husband saying. "I heard, 'No, Daddy. No!' and that's when I heard the gunshot."
Sherry said she didn't know her daughter, Ciara, was shot until later.
Five days earlier, Donald Meyer called the Office of the Attorney General to complain about his pending eviction. He spoke with Susan Evans, an agent with the Bureau of Consumer Protection.
"He explained how the government was uncooperative and people weren't helping him," she said. "He said, he would go down in a hail of gunfire if he had to."
When police entered the home, they found six guns, three which were obtained illegally by Donald Meyer, according to Pennsylvania State Trooper Trisha Campbell. Meyer had failed a mental health check after being involuntarily committed in November 2011, Trooper Campbell said.
Police discovered one gun, a TAVOR .223 semi automatic rifle, was fully loaded with 31 rounds. They also found a bag of ammunition which contained 258 rounds "six to seven feet" from the door, Campbell said.
"It showed preparedness for the individual," she testified. "It showed intent was to do what he said, go down in a hail of gunfire."
Meyer will stand trial in Perry County where the shooting occurred. His next court date is a formal arraignment at the Perry County Courthouse on May 5 at 9 a.m.