Husband on trial for shooting wife through ceiling of townhouse

SAVANNAH - Drunk and arguing with his wife, Donald Chase held a pistol to the floor of his upstairs den and fired. The bullet passed through a carpet and the downstairs kitchen ceiling, then fatally struck his wife as she poured bottles of liquor down the sink. <br> <br> Chase is on trial in the slaying of his wife of 32 years, Jackie, in their stucco townhouse in Savannah&#39;s historic district last September 17. <br> <br> The death was first reported to authorities as an apparent suicide, but prosecutors charged Chase with felony murder -- meaning he killed his wife while committing another felony, in this case aggravated assault. <br> <br> Chase&#39;s attorney said the shooting was accidental. But prosectors said the 56-year-old intended to kill his wife, even though he shot her in the head through gray carpet, a foam carpet pad, three-fourths-inch plywood and the kitchen ceiling sheetrock. <br> <br> Chase asked police investigators in a videotape interview show to jurors Tuesday, ``It was right in the middle of her head?. What are the chances of that?&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Police Lieutenant Richard Zapal replies on the tape, ``Infinitesimal. I don&#39;t think you could do that if you wanted to.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Chase, who sounded confused on the videotape, said he had been drinking heavily for three days and was drunk when the shooting occurred. Police said they found 15 empty liquor bottles in the kitchen, including several in the sink. <br> <br> He first told police his 55-year-old wife was with him in the upstairs den when he fired the bullet into the floor. He later told investigators he thought she had left the house and gone to her father&#39;s house. <br> <br> Chase said that when he went downstairs and found her body in the kitchen, ``I didn&#39;t know she was back. I didn&#39;t even think she was in the house. I went downstairs and she&#39;s sitting on the floor with a hole in her head. I can&#39;t live with myself if I killed her.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Chase admitted he was an alcoholic, burying his head in his hands on several occasions and weeping.