Brother of the accused aviator Mark Gooch testifies during the murder trial | Crime and Courts

Samuel Gooch said during the testimony that he remembered a conversation about Mark Gooch who had detailed his car.

Griffen previously noted that Mark Gooch’s experience of growing up in a Mennonite community in Wisconsin is no evidence of motivation to murder. Griffin also characterized Mark Gooch as “peaceful and non-violent”.

Barker has argued that the defendant was motivated to kill Krause after promoting a contempt for Mennonites that may be related to his childhood in a Mennonite community.

The aviator’s brother testified that he had at times discussed negative feelings with Mark Gooch about their experiences with the Mennonite community, adding that it was “easy to feel less accepted” as his family had not been part of the culture for generations .

Samuel Gooch said he was never an official member of the Church but was unable to speak on behalf of other members of his family. Likewise, Mark Gooch had previously told investigators that he had never officially joined the church.

When asked about his brother’s feelings toward the Mennonites, Samuel Gooch said, “He can’t necessarily speak to Mark’s feelings.” The statement comes after Samuel Gooch previously told investigators in 2020 that his brother had a grudge against the Church.

In a separate interview, Mark Gooch had told investigators that he had traveled seven hours from Luke Air Force Base, where he was stationed in West Phoenix, to Farmington to seek fellowship in a Mennonite church.