In the early hours of a Friday morning in Marienville, Pennsylvania, a violent altercation in the parking area of the Kelly Hotel abruptly ended the life of 45-year-old Brian J. Schill. The man, a resident of nearby Tionesta, was a well-known self-employed carpenter in the area. He was a graduate of North Clarion High School, class of 1992, and was known for his love of the outdoors, especially fishing.
On May 22, 2020, Schill was involved in a physical dispute with another man,
identified as 36-year-old Richard M. Gardner of Greensburg. During the course of this struggle, Gardner allegedly produced a handgun and shot Schill twice. The Forest County Coroner's Office was summoned to the scene at 12:42 a.m. and Schill was pronounced dead. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Following an investigation by the Marienville-based Pennsylvania State Police, Richard M. Gardner was taken into custody and faced a single count of criminal homicide for his alleged role in Brian Schill's death. He was subsequently remanded to the Warren County Jail without bond, awaiting a preliminary hearing. An unidentified woman was reportedly involved in the altercation but was not injured.
Brian J. Schill was survived by his two sons, his parents, a sister, and his girlfriend. In the wake of his death, those who knew him were left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of a man who had been a familiar presence in the local community.
