Daniel Lieske’s girlfriend Wednesday testified Lieske claimed his shooting victim in Marshall attacked him, but that man denied any attack before he died.
Lieske is on trial for first degree intentional homicide. Authorities say the 60-year-old Lieske fatally shot 21-year-old Jesse Faber in January 2018 at Lieske’s Marshall duplex. Both Lieske and his live-in girlfriend, Meichelle Goss, have already been convicted of hiding Faber’s corpse.
“A person died in my home and I didn’t do the right thing immediately,” Goss said as she began her three hours of testimony.
Goss said she and Lieske used cocaine and Lieske drank beer in the hours before they went to the next-door duplex to break up a drinking party being hosted by Goss’ teenage son. Faber was a party-goer.
Goss testified she gave rides home to several party-goers, while Faber of Sun Prairie remained with Lieske at their duplex. She said severe, winter weather conditions persuaded her not to attempt to drive Faber home.
Goss said after returning home to find Lieske and Faber drinking beer, she went into another room and returned to find the men in a confrontation.
“Daniel was standing approximately two to three feet away from him with the pistol in his hand,” Goss testified, referring to a handgun Lieske had carried with him in breaking up the party.
Goss said she discovered this scene after walking by a bathroom in disarray.
“Daniel had said that Jesse had tried to attack him in the bathroom,” Goss testified. “He (Faber) said no, he didn’t.”
Goss said the men make their counter claims back and forth.
“At one point Daniel asked me, asked me to hold the gun on Jesse,” Goss testified, noting Lieske wanted to use the bathroom. Goss said she left the room in fear over the sight of the drawn gun.
Goss testified she heard sounds resembling banging into something or stumbling down, heard gun shots and went to investigate.
“I saw Jesse on his side rolling over to his back, and like a last, gasping breath,” she said. “I’m in shock,” Goss testified. “I can’t believe what just happened, I can’t believe it.”
Goss said Lieske later took Faber’s body out to a work van on the property, and ultimately moved it to a storage unit in Rio, where it was discovered by law enforcement after several days of searching for Faber. Lieske had told authorities Faber went out for a cigarette from his duplex and simply did not return.
During cross examination by Lieske’s attorney, Goss described Lieske’s demeanor as he pointed the gun at Faber. “Frazzled, distraught, panicked,” she said.
Prosecutors say Faber suffered seven gunshot wounds, five of them to the back.
Goss said she failed to notify authorities immediately after Faber’s shooting over fears her livelihood would be destroyed. “I was afraid,” she testified. Both Goss and Lieske worked for a foundation which operates the Marshall amusement attraction Little Amerricka.
“I want to take responsibility and set things straight,” Goss testified.
Lieske’s homicide trial continues Thursday.
For more go to WKOW: https://wkow.com/news/top-stories/2019/01/09/girlfriend-testifies-lieske-claimed-an-attack-but-shooting-victim-denied-it/
Photo: WKOW