Stanley E. Kralik had nothing to do with the murder of Corey M. Samuels in the woods off Miner Street in Coaldale on Jan. 20, 2014, he told a Schuylkill County jury Tuesday.

Kralik said he was horrified by the sight and sounds of his co-defendant, Oliver L. Trizarri, repeatedly slamming a shovel onto Samuels' head, an event he described as "gruesome."Kralik told jurors he quietly left, lighting a cigarette to calm his nerves before leaving the scene - walking instead of running so as not to slip on the snow and ice.He didn't call 911 or tell police because Trizarri caught up with him as he walked home and threatened to implicate him if he did.He said he gave police different stories because he at first feared Trizarri's threat, but eventually decided to tell the truth.A different storyBut Trizarri, in lengthy testimony that included a bizarre theory of life that involved numbers, individuality, unity, the universe and infinity, told jurors a different story.It was Kralik's idea and plan to kill Samuels, and he just followed along, Trizarri told the jury.He said Kralik wanted to kill Samuels because he had raped Kralik's former girlfriend in May 2013.Trizarri said he asked Kralik if he had confronted Samuels about the assault. Kralik said he had, but that Samuels "rejected it.""A tear fell from his eye, and he said he was going to kill him," Trizarri testified.Trizarri testified that after the three went into the woods that night, they argued with Samuels about his comments about his girlfriend, then began attacking Samuels.After he brought Samuels to the ground in a chokehold, following Kralik's plan, Trizarri said, "I got up, and we just started taking turns with the shovel."'Breathed a bit'"He breathed for a bit, then stopped."Samuels' mother, Linda Fenstermaker, stifled sobs as she listened to Trizarri calmly describe her son's death.Testimony in the trial of Kralik, now 18, on murder and related charges began Monday morning and wrapped up Tuesday afternoon. Jurors expect to begin deliberating after closing arguments Wednesday morning.Trizarri, 23, of Reading, pleaded guilty on Feb. 19 to conspiracy and third degree murder, getting a lighter sentence in exchange for testifying at Kralik's trial.Both men had been charged with criminal homicide, murder in the first degree, murder in the third degree, robbery, aggravated assault and theft, along with two felony counts of conspiracy.Police believe Trizarri and Kralik lured Samuels into the woods on the night of Jan. 20, 2014, and beat him to death with a shovel.Samuels' remains were found on Sept. 6, 2014, close to where he was killed.On Tuesday, defense attorney Claude A. Lord Shields called Kralik to the stand.Kralik testified the killing was all Trizarri's idea and that he had nothing to do with it. In fact, he had stepped between Trizarri and Samuels as they fought after an argument over Samuels' disrespectful comments about women. Kralik said he punched Samuels twice in the nose in an effort to stop the fight.Forensic anthropologist Dennis Dirkmaat on Monday testified Samuel's nose had been broken, his jaw crushed and his skull caved in.On cross examination, Assistant District Attorney Keith Hoppes questioned Kralik as to why he didn't call 911 immediately, as soon as he saw Trizarri swinging the shovel at Samuels' head. Kralik had testified he looked up from checking his cell phone to see Trizarri swinging the shovel at Samuels.Kralik said he didn't call 911 because Trizarri "had a weapon in his hands" and that he (Kralik) "didn't want any part of this."Hoppes also asked Kralik why, if he was so frightened, he later asked his father to let Trizarri move in with them until he could find a job and get his own place, as Kralik's father, Glenn Kralik, testified."It wasn't my request," Kralik said.He just brought Trizarri to his father to ask, he said.Denies telling friendsHoppes also questioned Kralik about Monday's testimony by two of Kralik's friends, who said he told them in January 2014 that he had killed someone.Kralik denied telling that to one friend, and said he didn't remember saying it to the other.Hoppes called Trizarri to testify. Trizarri said it was Kralik who orchestrated the events.Trizarri said he agreed to help Kralik kill Samuels because Kralik was his friend.Trizarri said he was angered by Samuels' cavalier attitude toward women and the alleged rape, and asked him if he would change his life."I thought maybe there was a way to change this, so (Samuels) wouldn't have to die," he told the jury.But Samuels said no, he didn't want to change.The plan went through, Trizarri said.At one point in the woods, while choking Samuels, Trizarri relented, and began letting go after Samuels said, "Oliver, why are you doing this? I thought we were friends."But Kralik told him that Samuels would call police, so Trizarri said he had to "force himself to get angry again" at Samuels to continue killing him.Wallet and rosaryAfter Samuels was dead, Kralik took his wallet, which contained a rosary pendant, a lanyard and his cell phone. They later burned the wallet at Kralik's house, and threw away the phone. But Kralik kept the pendant, Trizarri said.Two witnesses testified on Monday that Kralik showed them the pendant at his house.Police later found the pendant in the basement, and a shovel in Kralik's back yard. Shields cast doubt on the shovel as the murder weapon, saying it contained no DNA or blood.Trizarri said they dragged the body 10 or 20 feet, put it under branches and covered it with snow. They then went back and covered their tracks, and covered bloody snow with clean snow.Trizarri said Kralik asked him how he felt."I looked at my hands. I told him I was confused," Trizarri testified. "I didn't feel anything. I thought I would."In his cross examination, Shields asked Trizarri about his statements to police involving angels and demons (Trizarri said he visualized them during meditation, but did not actually see them); summoning lightning (Trizarri said he prayed for lightning during a rain storm and it happened); and his ability to perform miracles (Trizarri said that referred to his ability to make a friend, the first in his life who accepted him for who he is).Shields also asked Trizarri ifhe is homosexual.'Yes," Trizarri replied.Police testimonyState trooper Melissa Kyper, who filed the charges against Kralik and Trizarri, also testified.She said Kralik, in an interview on Sept. 7, 2014, told her he, Trizarri and Samuels had gone into the woods to drink and smoke marijuana, but went their separate ways after Trizarri and Samuels argued, with Samuels going in the opposite direction.Kralik said he and Trizarri left the woods together and didn't know what had become of Samuels.Trizarri on Jan. 11, 2015 admitted to police he had helped kill Samuels.In a second interview, with Kralik, on March 16, 2015, Kralik changed his story, telling Kyper a girl he had dated told him Samuels had raped her. He said he was upset, but didn't know whether to believe her.The young woman also testified on Tuesday, confirming that she did tell Kralik about the assault, which she said happened in May 2013. She did not report the crime or tell anyone else, she said.In December 2013, Trizarri approached him and said he wanted to kill Samuels for the rape, and because he owed him money, Kralik told Kyper in the March interview.Kralik said Trizarri suggested he help.He told Kyper that on Jan. 20, 2014, in the woods, Trizarri and Samuels argued, then fought. For the first time, he told Kyper he had a knife with him, and that he had brought a shovel.Shields also called Trizarri's former cellmate, Edward Rivera of Shenandoah, to the stand. Rivera said Trizarri told him Kralik had left him and Samuels in the woods after an argument, and that he alone beat Samuels to death with the shovel.Rivera also said Trizarri wanted a relationship with Kralik, but Kralik rejected that.Deputy Assistant District Attorney Jennifer N. Lehman asked Rivera why he hadn't told authorities of Trizarri's statements."I didn't know I was supposed to," Rivera replied.The jury will begin to deliberate today. Check

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