LUDINGTON, Mich. (Feb. 19, 2014) — The woman who found a Michigan State Trooper lying on the side of the road after he was shot in September 2013 testified Tuesday in Mason County Court.
Connie Helton said when she found Trooper Paul Butterfield on the side of the road on her way home from work, she knelt down to tell him to “hold on” and prayed with him.
She testified that he lifted his head up and patted his chest.
Butterfield died as a result of that Sept. 9 shooting. Tuesday’s testimony focused on Helton and the other people, including officers, who came to the trooper’s aid after the shooting.
Eric Knysz, 20, is facing first-degree murder charges after he allegedly shot Butterfield during a traffic stop.
Mason County Chief Deputy Steve Hansen held up the trooper’s hat during his emotional testimony Tuesday. A hole was clearly visible on top of the hat.
Hansen also testified that Butterfield’s gun was still latched in his holster after his body was discovered.
Knysz was arrested in Manistee County shortly after allegedly shooting Butterfield. His wife, Sarah, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and vehicle theft and is facing two to five years behind bars.
She has agreed to testify against her husband as part of a plea deal.
Follow FOX 17’s Deanna Falzone on Twitter to get the latest updates from Knysz’s murder trial.
