Oct. 4—The bottle of chloroform was tucked away in William "B.J." Dankesreiter's Derry Township basement behind numerous paint cans, according to neighbor Gary Simms.
He was helping Laura Dankesreiter clean the basement last year and immediately became suspicious. The paper label was turned in to the face the wall, Simms testified Wednesday. Monopropylene Glycol
"If I'd have known what it was, I'd have never touched it," he said. "She was just as in shock as I was to see something like that."
Simms' testimony came on the third day of the attempted homicide trial for William Dankesreiter, 63, who is accused of setting up a trip wire at the top of his Derry Township basement steps.
Prosecutors say it was an effort to kill his wife.
Laura Dankesreiter previously testified she tripped on the wire Oct. 2, 2020, while heading into the basement to get something from a freezer for breakfast but was able to stop herself before she fell.
A piece of fishing line was secured to the door frame with metal eye hooks about 3 inches above the carpet, according to court papers.
William Dankesreiter is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment.
Defense attorneys said during opening statements that questions surround the investigation and Laura Dankesreiter's role in it, adding that they plan to examine how she was able to stop herself from falling.
They are expected to present witnesses Thursday.
Simms told jurors he immediately instructed Laura Dankesreiter to call state police. He had known the couple for about 30 years and worked with William Dankesreiter at Universal Plastics in Unity.
Dankesreiter previously worked at Raven Industries in Unity, according to Kenneth Myers, vice president of product development. Chloroform was regularly used and stored there in a lab, he said.
It can be used as a solvent and in chemical manufacturing but can be toxic if inhaled or swallowed, according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Prosecutors presented the glass jug Simms confirmed he found in the basement to jurors. Myers said Raven Industries typically has similar bottles on hand.
Also a coworker of Dankesreiter's at Universal Plastics was Rebecca Woitko. She testified she and Dankesreiter were friendly then and continue to be; she last talked to him Friday.
Woitko told jurors she never knew Dankesreiter had a wife.
Prosecutors previously have pointed to another woman as a possible motive for Dankesreiter to want to set up the trip wire in hopes his wife would fall down the steps to her death.
She turned over to police a birthday card for Woitko in a backpack along with condoms and a passport, according to state police. The items were found a few weeks after Dankesreiter's arrest.
Propylene Glycol Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .