Shannon Hess did not want a divorce, his wife told a Lancaster County jury today, but she did.

Veronica Hess admitted that she was having an extramarital affair and testified that she wanted to return to her native Texas and sort things out — an idea that her mother, Barbara Fritchman, supported.

Fritchman, 45, knew about her daughter's affair — and had met the man involved — when she was beaten and stabbed to death in the Hesses' Willow Street home in November 2007.

Hess, 31, charged with killing his mother-in-law, is on trial in Lancaster County Court.

Police believe Hess killed Fritchman in a fit of rage after coming home to hear her on the telephone commiserating with his wife's boyfriend, Bill Frank.

This morning, Mrs. Hess wiped tears from her eyes and stared at the center of the courtroom floor as she was asked questions about the affair, her marriage and her mother.

She said her mother did not like her boyfriend, but got along well with her husband and "treated him like a son."

"She didn't want to take sides," Mrs. Hess said, and encouraged her daughter to sort out her emotions before filing for divorce.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman, in his questioning of Mrs. Hess, repeatedly showed the witness written statements she gave to police at the time of her mother's death, conflicting with the answers she gave in court today.

Mrs. Hess said she began the affair with Frank in 2006, but said her mother thought he "was too old" for her.

"Did Bill Frank ever come to the house" on East Boehms Road where she and her family lived, Fetterman asked Mrs. Hess.

"Yes," she replied, adding that her mother was there when Frank arrived.

"Did they get along," Fetterman asked.

"My Mom didn't like him," Mrs. Hess said.

But at the time of her mother's death, Mrs. Hess told police that her boyfriend and her mother "got along fine," and, according to testimony, she called him "hon."

Her mother, along with her in-laws, friends and Frank's wife, all were aware of the affair, Mrs. Hess said.

In November 2007, Mrs. Hess said she and her husband were talking about separating and selling their home.

Fetterman asked what would happen to the couple's two small children if she moved back to Texas.

"We were going to work something out," Mrs. Hess said.

On the day of her mother's death, Fetterman noted, Mrs. Hess was at work, but came home and told police that her husband's shoes and a knife were missing from the house.

Testimony in the case is expected to continue throughout the week in the courtroom of Judge Jeffery D. Wright.

On Wednesday, Bill Frank testified about the year-long extramarital affair.

Frank told jurors he knew Hess was married and continued to see her even after their affair became known to her husband, Shannon Hess, and his wife, Kathy Frank.

Shannon Hess stared at Frank without emotion, as Frank discussed how he and Vernoica Hess met every day during the weeks leading up to Fritchman's killing. They met at local parks, job sites, a fast-food restaurant and even the Hesses' home, he said.

Frank said Mrs. Hess brought her two children to some of the meetings. He said the affair continued even after Fritchman's killing.

Frank, who worked with Hess and his wife and father at a manufacturing business in Leola, testified he also spoke often with Fritchman.

On the day Fritchman was killed, Hess had spent that morning running errands and spying on his wife at her workplace, according to testimony.

He also made a crank call to the Frank home, asking Kathy Frank how he could get a hold of her husband, according to testimony.

Police said Hess returned home that day in time to overhear Fritchman's phone conversation with Frank, according to prosecutors.

During that conversation, Frank inquired about the crank call. Fritchman told Frank, "It was probably (Shannon) and his stupid (expletive)."

Frank testified he then told Fritchman, "I don't know why he has to stir the pot."

Defense attorney Alan Goldberg said that Hess had no way of knowing Fritchman was talking to Frank, even if he did hear the conversation.

Prosecutors have suggested that Hess was one of the last to know about his wife's affair. In fact, according to testimony, he even tried confiding in Frank about his marital problems.

Frank said one day at work Hess told him he didn't have friends to talk to about his "marriage problems."

"I really didn't know what to say. I was having an affair with (Veronica)," Frank said Wednesday.

Later, about a month before Fritchman's death, Hess found "love letters" penned by Frank in his wife's car. He decided to confront his wife with the incriminating correspondence.

Kathy Frank testified that Hess showed up at her house on Oct. 30, 2007, and showed her the notes.

Mrs. Frank said Hess was calm until he was leaving the property. He said, "(Bill) and his family better watch it," she testified.


Staff writer Janet Kelley can be reached at jkelley@LNPnews.com or 481-6026.