BAINBRIDGE — It was standing room only in the crowded Town of Bainbridge Court on Fri., Oct. 31, during the felony hearing of alleged killer John M. Guzy, a retired New York City police officer and newly hired corrections officer for the Chenango County Correctional Facility. The alleged killer was guarded by four corrections officers and seated in shackles next to his public defender, Aaron A. Dean.
Judge Brian K. Barnhart was to determine whether or not there was reasonable cause to believe Guzy had committed the class A-1 felony of murder in the second degree.
It is alleged on or about Oct. 27 at approximately 1:27 p.m. – in the parking lot of Peak Fitness in Bainbridge – Guzy, 56, of Bainbridge shot and killed Derek D. Prindle, 26, of Afton. It is also alleged he shot and wounded Prindle’s father, Derek S. Prindle, 60, of Afton. The hearing was held regarding the murder of Prindle Jr.
District Attorney Joseph A. McBride questioned three New York State Police witnesses to provide reasonable cause. The testimonies of the NYSP employees lasted more than 45 minutes.
The first witness to testify was State Trooper Megan Miller. She was the first to arrive on the scene of the shooting at the Bainbridge gym. Miller said it was approximately 1:30 p.m. on Mon., Oct. 27 and she was traveling on Route 7 towards Sidney when she “received a 911 call about a reported stun gun incident.”
When Miller arrived at Peak Fitness, she saw Derek D. Prindle on the ground in the parking lot and Derek S. Prindle giving him CPR. She also saw a tan SUV next to the men with a license plate number written in the dirt on the windshield of the vehicle.
“The father lifted his shirt and that's when I realized these weren't stun gun wounds, they were real gunshot wounds,” said Miller.
She said the 26-year-old victim's eyes were open, but he had no pulse and was non-responsive. “I saw two wounds; one in the chest and one below the nipple line. They were as big as my index finger. There was no blood and there was black around the edges, gun powder,” said Miller.
McBride asked Miller, based on her training, what the appearance of the wounds indicated to her. “It appeared to be a close-range shooting,” said Miller.
Miller also attempted CPR on Prindle Jr. until the emergency team arrived and transported him to Tri-Town Regional Hospital in Sidney. He was given CPR for 20 minutes at the hospital before being pronounced dead at approximately 2:20 p.m.
According to Miller, Prindle Sr. had also been shot and was transported to UHS Wilson Medical Center in Johnson City. McBride said he is doing well and is expected to fully recover.
McBride's second witness was NYSP Investigator Michelle Marshall, who has been investigating felony crimes in Chenango County for more than nine years. She received a call in her office at approximately 1:40 p.m. about an incident in Bainbridge and was told someone was in the lobby of the Troop C station in Sidney to speak with her about it.
