Man Accused In Ax Murder To Stand Trial Barcella Could Face Death Penalty If Convicted

His girlfriend, his drinking buddy and his cellmate testified against him.

And on Friday, a Kootenai County judge ordered Gerald Barcella to stand trial for first-degree murder.

Barcella, a 37-year-old Coeur d’Alene man with a history of violence, is accused of bludgeoning his apartment manager to death with an ax. It is a crime for which he could face the death penalty.

“You can’t bring back what he has taken,” said Bob Healey, a close friend of the victim.

On April 3, 1995, William Smith, 69, was found dead at the Harmony House boarding apartments where both he and Barcella lived.

A three-day preliminary hearing concluded Friday after three people testified that Barcella admitted to them he killed Smith with an ax.

Ken Thrift, who spent the night of April 2 and 3 drinking with Barcella, told 1st District Magistrate John Luster that he heard Barcella vow to kill the elderly manager, whom he’d had several disagreements with.

Later Thrift said he saw Barcella wiping the door handle to Smith’s room. Thrift said Barcella then admitted to him that he’d killed the man.

Ricki Bobo, Barcella’s girlfriend, testified that Barcella told her he hit Smith with an ax more than once to make sure the apartment manager wouldn’t survive and testify against him.

A convicted felon, who spent time in jail with Barcella, also testified that Barcella confessed to killing a man with an ax.

Barcella’s defense attorney pointed out that both Thrift and Bobo changed their stories, first telling police they didn’t know anything about the murder.

Smith’s friends said Friday they’re pleased Barcella will stand trial. Smith was a renowned stained-glass artist - one of the few in the country who continued the old tradition of painting on glass.

Bob Healey, owner of Healey’s Stained Glass Studio, said Smith was both a mentor and a close friend.

“Tomorrow I have to do some painting on glass,” Healey said. “Since Bill died I haven’t been able to do much of it. Every time I do, I think of him.”

Healey and Smith designed a set of stained-glass windows for a church in Wallace. This month, Healey has had to continue that work alone.

He expects the windows - some of Smith’s last work - to be installed at the United Church of Christ next month.

, DataTimes