Documents: Accused serial shooters give conflicting statements

Flagstaff Arizona Sun ^ | November 28, 2006 | Associated press

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PHOENIX (AP) -- Shortly after they were pulled from their apartment and accused of being serial killers, a janitor and his roommate pointed fingers at each other at police headquarters as the one responsible for months of random shootings.

Dale S. Hausner, 33, calmly maintained his innocence, saying he didn't take part in any of the shootings that left seven people dead in the Phoenix metropolitan area, according to documents police released Monday.

Meanwhile, Samuel John Dieteman, 31, said in a separate room that he watched as Hausner shot at people while driving around town.

Prosecutors eventually charged 51 criminal counts against Hausner, Dieteman or both together, ranging from murder to arson. If convicted, County Attorney Andrew Thomas said he will seek the death penalty against both men.

Hausner and Dieteman have pleaded not guilty.

While talking to police on Aug. 4, Dieteman said Hausner randomly targeted people as he drove his 1998 Toyota Camry around town.

One time, Dieteman said, Hausner targeted a "fat guy that was walking down the road."

"He just kinda raised up the shotgun up ... and I just hear this poppin' and this guy started screamin' in the road," Dieteman said.

Hausner "just kinda chuckles a little bit and ... and lays the gun down besides his leg there," Dieteman said. "He just kinda looked at me for a second and kept drivin'."

Another time, in mid-June, Dieteman said Hausner handed him handgun when he spied what he thought was a prostitute.

Dieteman remembered Hausner told him: "get the whore."

"I remember how pissed he was," Dieteman told police. "I fired and I aimed a little high."

Dieteman said he didn't want to hurt her. "Think she just kept walking," he said.

That same night, several police officers including Mesa Police Detective Don Byers, pressed Hausner to confess, but Hausner maintained his innocence.

"I don't know what you guys want me to tell you guys," Hausner said.

"Here's what I want you to do!" Byers said. "You're not telling me the truth ... that's a hard thing for somebody to sit here and ... and say 'You know what, I drove for all of these shootings and, uh, I was involved with it, and I shot the gun too."'

Hausner told police that he would have kicked Dieteman out of the apartment if he knew of the shootings.

He said he has a daughter. While he had many guns in his apartment, Hausner said he wouldn't have attacked anybody and risked going to jail, where he couldn't care for his family.

Dieteman, Hausner said, may have started shooting people because he had self esteem problems, that he wanted to die. Dieteman was unemployed, had a drinking problem and had been living with him for free, Hausner said.

"Why would somebody do that?" he said. "Maybe to make people afraid of you or to in a sick way boost yourself up, you know, 'I'm the killer, you know, here I am."'

His older brother, Jeff Hausner, also is charged in the so-called Serial Shooter investigation.

Jeff Hausner is accused of stabbing a vagrant on April 14. He has pleaded not guilty to attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault charges.