Western Hotel waitress shot to death

DA has not yet declared shooting accidental

By TOM KANE

CALLICOON, NY - Rumors about the tragic death of a waitress at the Western Hotel have been flying around the hamlet since last Sunday morning when the event occurred. The shooting took place in the bar of the hotel at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 13. The victim, Lori Schubeler, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“All we heard was that it was an accident,” said a worker at the local convenience store. The same statement was repeated by everyone in the hamlet. Another person said that someone in the hotel was showing an antique rifle that was on the wall of the bar and it went off accidentally. That rumor that was contradicted by Sullivan County District Attorney Steve Lungen.

No one has not been charged with anything by Lungen, who announced that Schubeler was shot with a .25-caliber handgun in the upper chest, the bullet piercing her aorta and lung.

“We’ve recovered the hand gun and are awaiting some forensic work from the state police before we can make an announcement,” Lungen said.

Joe Naughton, the owner of the hotel, and a second man, whose name was not released, were present at the scene when the shooting took place.

Authorities are still trying to determine if the death was accidental. Lungen said that there was no evidence of a struggle and he would not say who fired the fatal shot.

Schubeler was a well known singer and actress who had performed in a number of the productions of the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop at the Rivoli Theatre in South Fallsburg, NY. She also appeared in the Neil Simon movie “Lost in Yonkers” in 1993.

At the time of her death, Schubeler was living with Jim Heisel, a director who was working on a new play with the workshop, which was scheduled to open on April 26.

Directing duties have been picked up by the stage manager, and the play will be performed in Schubeler’s honor.