Thomas Eugene Monroe, a 67-year-old Ruther Glen man she'd known for 20 years, stepped out and came inside about 2 p.m., Edwards testified yesterday in Caroline General District Court.

Monroe, a longtime Caroline schools maintenance worker, had recently been fired. He was coming to see David Sterling Ganoe Jr., the division's maintenance supervisor and whose office was next to Edwards', Ganoe's secretary.

Monroe wore sunglasses and walked quickly, Edwards testified. He pulled out a revolver, walked toward the 51-year-old Ganoe and fired. Edwards grabbed Monroe's arm to stop him, but said he pushed her to the concrete floor "like an elephant with a flea." She heard Ganoe say, "Tom don't, please don't" and gunfire. She injured her hip and left wrist.

Edwards got up, went to her desk and called 911. She testified that she crawled to Ganoe, who was face down in blood. He didn't seem to be breathing, but his jaw was moving. Monroe was gone. Edwards was on the floor next to Ganoe when members of the Caroline Sheriff's Office arrived.

Edwards' dramatic story had circulated widely in Caroline County since the death of Ganoe, a well-loved man who worked in the Caroline school system as a teacher, coach and maintenance supervisor for 20 years.

But yesterday was the first time that Edwards, whose "loyalty and devotion" were mentioned in Ganoe's obituary, told her tale publicly. It was one piece of evidence that led Judge Frank L. Besner to certify three felony charges against Monroe.

Monroe, who is held without bond at Pamunkey Regional Jail, is charged with first-degree murder, using a firearm to commit murder and possessing a firearm on school grounds. A Caroline Circuit Court grand jury will decide whether to indict Monroe on those charges April 4.

Several dozen family members of both Ganoe and Monroe packed the courtroom yesterday. Commonwealth's Attorney Harvey Latney also called Caroline sheriff's investigators James McCarty and Sue Call to the stand.