In retrospect, William Murphy wonders about Brian Shaw and how the Syracuse University student charged with murder acted that day, whether there was any discernable difference, any telling clues about what allegedly happened earlier that morning.

He has concluded, with fair certainty, there were none. No signs of a man who might have murdered Chiarra Seals. Just a quiet note-taker, one of 20-something students in a class, listening to Murphy lecture about the Cold War.

‘There was nothing unusual about his presence,’ Murphy said, ‘nothing unusual about his actions. The only time he missed class was for basketball games, so he was a student who did attend regularly.’

Between 6 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, two hours before police arrested him, Shaw sat in Bowne Hall room 105, attending his three-hour History 102 class, American History Since 1865.

Earlier Wednesday, Shaw allegedly strangled Chiarra Seals, the mother of Shaw’s 4-year-old daughter, to death, stuffed her body in a suitcase and dumped it behind 112 Avondale Place, Syracuse police said.

Professor William Murphy, who works part time, lectured that day about the beginnings of the Cold War. He started talking about former presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, the emergence of the containment policy and carried it through the Korean War.

As Murphy spoke, Shaw sat about front and center, said Dan Jablon, a student in the class. There isn’t a semblance of rows in the class, just scattered desks, and Shaw ‘was one of the front-most students,’ Jablon said.

‘Thinking back on it, I don’t remember much,’ said Jablon, a junior advertising major who sat behind and to the left of Shaw. ‘I just remember him sitting there, because I like to look around and see who’s there.’

Syracuse University spokesman Kevin Morrow said he wasn’t aware that Shaw attended his class Wednesday and declined further comment.

There was nothing much unusual about the class that day. About 22 or 24 of the 29 students showed up, Jablon said, and the class lasted for almost the entire three-hour block.

Usually, Murphy lectures most of the class, although some dialogue takes place between students and teachers. Again Wednesday, Murphy mostly lectured. Shaw was one of the students who rarely spoke up, and that day was no exception.

‘I don’t remember him talking to anybody,’ Jablon said of that day’s class, which is a University College section. ‘It’s a very diverse class, so there aren’t any little groups that interact socially.’

Jablon said about half the class are adults and the other half are students enrolled in Syracuse University.

‘It’s difficult to say whether he did (talk to other students that day) or not,’ Murphy said. ‘He in general did. He would talk to people before and after class. But I can’t remember specifically (Wednesday).’

The next day, both Murphy and Jablon were shocked to hear how police had arrested Shaw on a second-degree murder charge.

Sgt. Tom Connellan of Syracuse police confirmed that Shaw told officers he attended class Wednesday. Connellan said he believed that it was Shaw’s only class of the day.

‘He didn’t explain (why he went),’ Connellan said. ‘There was a good possibility he was building an alibi. He didn’t know we were going to find things out so soon.’

Connellan said Shaw didn’t try to use the class as an alibi when police questioned the SU student later that evening.

Murphy’s History 102 class will meet again tomorrow. It’s scheduled for 6 p.m. Murphy has been in discussion with SU’s Counseling Center and the dean’s office about the incident. A member of the Counseling Center and Hendrick’s Chapel will talk to his students to explain the services the school offers and offer information to them if they need consultation.

‘It’s a very difficult situation,’ Murphy said. ‘As a teacher, I haven’t had an opportunity to gauge my class’s reaction. It’s obviously disturbing, since he was there with us when we were there Wednesday, as all these events were unfolding.’

Shaw continues to be held on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Chiarra Seals. On Wednesday, a neighbor reported a suspicious vehicle at Seals’ 160 Jasper St. residence. Police arrived at 5 p.m. and found Seals’ 4-year-old daughter and 17-month old son alone in the house.

‘It’s very … I don’t even know how to put it … strange to think about the whole sequence of events,’ Jablon said, ‘and to realize that you were a part of that.’

Published on March 28, 2005 at 12:00 pm