A New Hampshire man is currently standing trial for two counts of attempted murder and assault charges after shooting a bishop and a bride during a church wedding ceremony in 2019. The prosecutor, Seth Dobieski, described the incident as an act that turned marriage into mayhem. Dale Holloway, the accused, fired shots at the couple just as they were being pronounced husband and wife.
According to Dobieski, the shootings took place nearly two weeks after Holloway’s stepfather, who was a pastor at the church, was killed by the son of the groom. The son was subsequently sentenced to prison. Interestingly, a separate celebration of life ceremony for the pastor had been planned at the church later that day.
Holloway, 41, is already serving a prison sentence of 7 1/2 to 15 years for assaulting his lawyer. In this trial, he is representing himself and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Holloway plans to use an insanity defense to prove his innocence. He emphasized that he is innocent until proven guilty and intends to present the actual truth of the matter.
The bishop, Stanley Choate, was shot in the chest, while the bride, Claire McMullen, was shot in the arm. Authorities revealed that the groom, Mark Castiglione, is the father of a man who was charged with killing Holloway’s stepfather. Brandon Castiglione, the groom’s son, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 42 years in prison earlier this year for the killing.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. The trial will further delve into the events leading up to the incident and seek to establish Holloway’s culpability. Updates on the trial will be provided as new information emerges.
