CLEARWATER (FOX 13) -
It's a tough job, but it occasionally has to be done.
That's what Mickey McPhee told jurors in a murder trial Thursday -- that he had to fire Arunya Rouch.
It happened in March of 2010 after Rouch was accused threatening a co-worker. Hours after being terminated, Rouch allegedly went back to the store and killed Greg Janowski, the employee she is accused of threatening.
In his opening statement Thursday, Assistant State Attorney Fred Schaub told the jury a 74-year-old employee tried to stop Rouch from continuing to shoot.
"'You don't want to do this; you're going to affect the lives of too many people. Don't do it...'" she recalled.
Days before the shooting, Roach apparently crossed Greg Jankowski's name off the store's work schedule. Schaub said Rouch killed Janowksi in an ambush.
"She knew Greg was going to be on duty that day, she knew his car would be in the parking lot."
But Rouch's defense attorney suggested Janowski pushed Rouch over the emotional edge.
"She is harassed at work she is called names," George Tragos said. "She's told to '...get back in your hole.'"
Oddly, Tragos said, the only Publix employee who knew Rouch was going to get fired was her chief tormenter, Janowski. "Who knows she's going to get fired? Greg Janowski knows she's going to get fired; he set her up."
Mickey McPhee told jurors about the day he fired Rouch. He said it was an emotional scene.
"As emotional as she was, she was way up here, crying, then should would calm down. They would get emotional and calm down again."
McPhee said he had no idea Rouch would come back to the store hours later.
Prosecutors say Rouch hid a gun and ammunition in a bright green Publix bag.
