That charge had been brought when he had stolen earrings from his mother. But Finkes never provided the letter. Coyan was shot the day before he was to go to court. Two prosecution witnesses testified that two days before the shooting they saw Finkes and Coyan argue. Coyan was heard to respond that he would let his lawyer handle it.
Prosecutors believe the discussion was over the letter.
The day before the shooting, Finkes told police from Columbus, Perry Township and Dublin that she had an employee who was stealing from her. But when a Dublin police officer offered to go to the shop and confront Coyan, Finkes said no. Prosecutors said it was part of a plan to portray Coyan as a thief. The gun found in Coyan's hand belonged to him, but his fingerprints weren't on it. Finkes said her husband, Hans Schlotterer, entered the apartment just as she shot Coyan, but Schlotterer was never called to testify in support of Finkes' self-defense claim.