Calif. man kills local bar owner
47-year-old shooter commits suicide after police chase
ITHACA - A local bar owner was shot and killed Saturday morning as he sat in a car on East Marshall Street with a female acquaintance. The assailant, the female's estranged husband, then led police on a low-speed pursuit into Tioga County before pulling off the road and fatally shooting himself.
Police said Dino Meminger, of Los Angeles, also shot his wife at the same time he killed Peter Nickles, of 107 Honness Lane and owner of the Double Nickle Saloon, 624 W. State St. But police said the women's injuries were not life-threatening and she was treated and released from Cayuga Medical Center.
"We're putting the pieces together as we're going through," said Deputy Chief Lauren Signer of the Ithaca Police Department. "The marriage was ending and there was some friction there. No answers are absolute as of yet." At 2:52 a.m. Saturday, the Ithaca Police responded to the 300 block of East Marshall Street after receiving calls from neighbors who described hearing gunshots.
When police arrived, they found Nickles, 50, had been fatally shot with a handgun and a female had been struck by a bullet. "The shooter left the Marshall Street area by the time police got there, "Signer said. "We put out an interagency alert." The female victim and neighbors were able to provide police with a description of Meminger, 47, and his car.
A Tompkins County Sheriff's deputy spotted the car traveling southwest in the 300-400 block of Elmira Road and tried to get Meminger to pull over. Ithaca Police officers and Tioga County Sheriff's Deputies joined in the pursuit when he refused to stop, Signer said. "A slow speed pursuit followed - nothing dangerous for the weather conditions or in excess of 50 miles per hour," Signer said. "The three cards got together to pull him off the road."
Approximately two miles into Tioga County on Route 34/96, Meminger's car left the roadway. Once the vehicle stopped, officers prepared to approach the car with caution, knowing Meminger was armed. When officers made their way to the car, he was already fatally injured byy a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
"This is pretty wrapped up," Signer said. "But an investigation into what lef up to this, or where they were before this happened, is still ongoing." No other suspects are being sought in this incident, according to police. Alcohol and drugs were not involved, police said.
A female who answered a call to the female victim's house said she had no comment as of Saturday afternoon. Residents in the Fall Creek neighborhood, who didn't witness the shooting, awoke Saturday morning to find remnants of the previous night's crime scene in their yeards. "I was sound asleep. I didn't hear a thing," said Tim Reppert of 601 N. Tioga St. "I'm shocked. I can't believe this would happen here. This is very unusual."
Tire tracks from the corner of Marshall and Tioga streets cut through the snow on the sidewalks and bushes before leading across Marshall Street again. The tracks left by Meminger as he drove from the shooting scene cut through another yard's bushes before leading back to Marshall Street.
Anna Goehner of Tioga Street awoke at 10:30 a.m. Saturday to find her house scraped and her bushes damaged. "I opened the blinds to see tire tracks. All this damage is totally unexpected," Goehner said. "These deaths are shocking."
Although murder-suicides do not occur in Ithaca often, Sheri Addy of Ithaca said she could see how it could happen anywhere. "No (it's not shocking) when there's this kind of emotion involved," Addy said.
As police investigators were canvassing the neighborhood looking for further evidence, small bits of yellow crime tape could be found tied in bushes at the corner of the streets. Virginia Metcalf, of 520 N. Tioga St., said she was laying in bed when she heard loud popping noises and the sound of speeding cars outside her window.
"I'm still amazed at what happened. This is a nice area - a nice street," Metcalf said. "It makes me feel better that it was an isolated incident, but it's still scary." Saturday afternoon, the Double Nickle Saloon remained closed as a poster board cross hung on the front door in memory of Nickles.
"We are all in shock over this terribly tragedy," said former city alderwoman Paulette Manos, who is Nickles' aunt. "We can't believe something like this could happen to such a kind, generous person who was loved by so many. People from all over the community have offered support for his two wonderful boys and for that we'll be forever grateful."
Nickles is survived by his wife Patty and two sons, Jory, 10, and Jamie, 7, as well as a host of family members and friends. Anyone with information can contact the Ithaca Police Department.
- Diana LaMattina, The Ithaca Journal Monday January 19th 2004
Daniel Pinna 
