Mother’s mental health questioned

Matt Whetstone | Cadillac News Amy Musselman listens in court Wednesday while her husband, Frank, testifies in her murder trial. Proceedings are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. today with closing arguments.

LAKE CITY — “Inexplicable,” accountant Bob Beattie said when asked about his colleague, Amy Sue Musselman, shooting her daughter.

Amy Musselman’s murder trial was handed over to defense attorney Bill Barnett Wednesday following morning testimony from two prosecution witnesses. Barnett focused on family members, co-workers, colleagues — such as Beattie — and friends to give insight in the year prior to Sept. 13, 2006, when the prosecution says Amy Musselman shot and killed her 7-year-old daughter.

By the time police arrived, Alyssa Paige Musselman was cold to the touch, prosecution witness and former Missaukee County Undersheriff Ed Nettle testified.

Nettle spoke with Amy Musselman for a brief period. He got no response.

“During that interview, her demeanor was stone — like a statue,” Nettle said. “I don’t know if she understood what was going on.”

That’s the same assessment defense witnesses gave when asked about her attitude, appearance and social skills up to a year prior to Alyssa’s death.

After Missaukee County Prosecutor Bill Donnelly called Nettle and Amy Musselman’s husband, Frank, to the stand, he rested his case.

Barnett then motioned 28th Circuit Court Judge Bill Fagerman for a directed verdict, seeking charges less than murder.

Fagerman said there was overwhelming evidence to support the prosecution’s case that Amy Musselman murdered her daughter and her actions were premeditated. He denied the motion.

“That took some thought, that took some planning,” Fagerman said of Amy Musselman’s actions.

He cited testimony from Frank Musselman, who said a few days before Alyssa’s death, Amy Musselman shot and killed a dog and a cat with the only gun in the family’s house, a .22 rifle. When Frank questioned her about the dead dog, Amy did not answer.

Frank pressed.

Amy confessed.

“She said it as if she was protecting the children,” Frank said. “It took a lot of pushing to get that out of her.”

Believing something worse could happen, Frank Musselman placed the gun behind the seat of his pickup truck. He intended to take it to work with him the next day. Amy Musselman tried to stop him, saying she needed it for protection.

“I remember saying, ‘If you’re not careful, you’re going to shoot the Schwan’s man,’” Frank Musselman testified.

After that verbal exchange in September, Frank Musselman went to bed. He awoke during the night, went into the kitchen and discovered that Amy Musselman had taken the .22 shells from the bedroom. Frank Musselman didn’t know it at the time but she also removed the rifle from his unlocked truck.

Before leaving for work the next morning, Frank told his wife he was going to purchase some mace. He also said they could begin locking the back door during the day because Amy was concerned people were prowling in the yard.

She heard talking outside, Frank Musselman testified.

Frank Musselman broke down just once while on the stand. Amy Musselman, sitting a few feet away wearing black pants, a purple shirt and handcuffs, wiped her eyes and blew her nose several times. Throughout much of Wednesday’s proceedings, she sat motionless, her hands folded in front of her face.

“I never felt those kids were in harm’s way, ever,” Frank Musselman said.

Following a lunch break, Barnett recalled Frank Musselman to the stand and began asking questions about Amy Musselman’s mental state. It was a theme throughout the afternoon as Barnett called nine more witnesses.

The last witness of the day was Amy Musselman’s sister, Michelle Geiger. Geiger, the youngest of four girls, became very close to Amy after high school. They worked together at what would become Piranha Hose Products. Alyssa and Geiger’s twin daughters were great friends.

The first signs of mental stress began in 2004, shortly after Amy Musselman’s son was born. While he was at a day care facility at which Geiger worked, he experienced some seizure-like convulsions. Amy feared for her son and soon withdrew him.

After working at the day care for about a year, Geiger hired back into Piranha in an entry level position. Amy was her boss.

In early 2005, Geiger testified that she, Amy and some other co-workers had lunch together. Amy Musselman said the company was on the verge of an ownership change.

Beattie, who served as an accountant for Piranha, said the transition period was very stressful on Amy Musselman. Since she was in the center of the sale, he said it was not unusual that she displayed a high level of stress.

Geiger said Amy was concerned that the sale could jeopardize her career at a company where she had risen to the level of upper management.

Former co-workers Heather Corner and Leslie Nowlin testified that Amy Musselman’s attitude at work began to change drastically.

Nowlin said she would often see Amy Musselman picking her son up at day care. After her termination, Nowlin said Amy Musselman would “look right through her,” like Nowlin wasn’t even there.

Amy Musselman’s oldest sister, Andrea Manchip, testified earlier in the day called Amy’s job her “identity.”

Through hard work, Amy Musselman “created that identity for herself,” Manchip said. “When she lost her job, she lost her identity.”

In the months that followed, Amy Musselman became more despondent. She stopped communicating and would often greet questions with silence.

Friends and family said she stopped caring about her looks, she lost weight and was less strict with her children.

But Manchip, who works with mentally ill patients, said Amy Musselman “never stopped going through the motions.” Manchip said it’s when someone stops going through the motions that serious help is needed.

Amy Musselman’s father, Marvin Bolles, said at a December 2005 Christmas party, Amy Musselman had very little interaction with people.

“She went downhill from there,” Bolles said.

“When you talk to a person, you look them in the eyes,” Bolles would later say. “There was nothing there.”

Family members testified how at several family functions in 2006, Amy Musselman spoke very little. She often left early.

Family members tried to get Amy help.

The week Amy Musselman lost her job, Geiger ended up taking her to the emergency room at Mercy Hospital. A doctor gave her a shot to help her sleep and some pills. He told Geiger to schedule a follow-up appointment with her primary physician.

After an initial appointment, Geiger made a second appointment at Great Lakes Family Care. Amy’s concern that she was in possession of counterfeit $10 bills prompted the call.

Meanwhile, Amy Musselman had another job interview. Family members and Frank Musselman testified that they believed if she got back to work, it would improve her condition. She was eventually hired but things didn’t change.

Prior to another appointment, Amy Musselman told Geiger that she believed tubes that had been inserted in her son’s ears were being used to listen to her.

At an appointment with Dr. Lori Crago, Geiger broke down. She revealed the comment Amy made about the “transponders” and then looked at Amy.

Without saying a word, Amy Musselman shed a few tears, Geiger said. The doctor then asked if Geiger thought her sister was “going crazy.” Geiger said, “Yes.”

Crago referred Amy Musselman to a psychologist. The appointment was not kept.

Amy Musselman’s longtime friend, Nicole Colecchio-Frever, testified how Amy believed someone had tampered with her personal bank account and that people were trying to harm her children. Her conversation was scattered, jumping from topics without warning, Colecchio-Frever said.

When they talked on the phone, the slightest background noise would cause Amy to hang up.

On one day in particular, Amy Musselman contacted Colecchio-Frever. She said the police were on the way to the house and she wanted her to come as well.

When Colecchio-Frever arrived, Amy Musselman was speaking to the officer about the $10 bills.

“She looked like hell,” she testified.

After speaking to police Amy’s son sprayed her with a garden hose. Colecchio-Frever said there was no response from Amy.

Just days before her death, Alyssa attended a birthday party at Geiger’s house. Alyssa acted normal at the party. Witnesses testified throughout the day that they did not believe the children were affected by Amy’s mental state.

The day after the party Amy did not call about picking up Alyssa.

On Monday, Sept. 11, 2006, Amy skipped work and kept the kids home from school. Amy showed up at her father’s house and the kids ate McDonald’s Happy Meals.

When asked why the children were not in school, Amy Musselman responded that she just took the day off.

“There was no jolly feeling, there was no smile, at least on her part,” Bolles said. “That’s the last time I saw Alyssa alive.”

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2006, Amy Musselman fought with her husband to keep the .22 in the house.

On Sept. 13, 2006, Alyssa Musselman was shot six times.

A few weeks later, Geiger got a call from Munson Hospital in Traverse City. Amy Musselman requested her presence.

“She asked me, after she apologized, if there was anyone at the funeral that I didn’t know,” Geiger said.

Geiger said the apology was generic.

After testimony, Barnett submitted 11 pieces of evidence, including numerous psychological evaluations.

Just after 3 p.m. Wednesday, the attorneys rested their case. The proceedings are scheduled to reconvene at 1 p.m. today in 28th Circuit Court in Lake City with closing arguments.

Editors Note

This is the second day of coverage of murder trial of Amy Sue Musselman and we wanted to let readers know that we have struggled with how to present the information brought up during the trial.

We want to accurately portray the events of the trial and still remain sensitive to the graphic nature of the testimony. We have chosen not to publish much of the graphic detail that has been presented.

Please call us at (231) 775-NEWS (6397) with your feedback.

mwhetstone@cadillacnews.com | 775-NEWS (6397)