Snow Bird Convicted Of Trying To Kill Palm Desert Neighbor

A 70-year-old Palm Desert man was convicted today of trying to kill his neighbor with a metal bar because he thought the victim was bombarding his home with “noise machines and microwaves.”

Barry Keith Hancock was found guilty of attempted murder, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon causing injury to a person over 70 and making criminal threats for attacking 76-year-old Paul Tritschler on Dec. 3, 2008, in the 39400 block of Narcissus Way. An Indio jury deliberated for about a day before convicting Hancock.

Hancock had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and the second phrase of his trial, which will determine whether he was sane or insane when he attacked Tritschler, will start Monday.

Tritschler testified last week that his neighbor entered his garage and threatened to kill him when he returned from playing golf at the course in their housing community.

“The voice said, `You son of a (expletive), I’m going to kill you,”‘ Tritschler said.

He said he was plugging in his golf cart to recharge it in the garage near his condo when he heard Hancock threaten him.

“I leaned back against the dashboard and said, `Barry, Barry, you don’t have to do this,”‘ Tritschler said.

Hancock approached his neighbor with a loaded revolver in one hand and a Taser in the other. Tritschler said he grabbed an unknown object from Hancock’s hand and began to struggle with him when he felt something metal hit his head.

The men struggled, and Tritschler said he was able to pin Hancock to the ground until neighbors called security and sheriff’s deputies arrived.

Deputy District Attorney Brad Braaten said in his opening statement that the gash in Tritschler’s head needed eight stitches to close. He said authorities found a knife, paper towels, plastic sheeting and a shovel in Hancock’s vehicle, duct tape, rope and a Taser box in his garage and a handgun in his house.

Prosecutors alleged in court papers that Hancock carried out the attack because he was convinced the victim was “bombarding his residence with noise machines and microwaves.”

Hancock’s attorney, Ryan Markson, told jurors that Hancock “intended to kill no one. He only wanted answers from his neighbor.”

Markson said his client had an ongoing belief that Tritschler “was radiating his body with some kind of electromagnetic energy through a wall, with some kind of machine.”

Markson said the gun Hancock took to Tritschler’s garage was taped so it couldn’t fire.

“The evidence shows he did not go near enough to constitute the crime of attempted murder,” the defense attorney said.

A judge last year ordered county mental health staff to ensure Hancock was taking psychiatric medication while jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.