QuickTake:

Gregory Allen Pitts turned himself in at University Fellowship Church in Eugene the same day that police found his wife dead in a home the couple shared. A Lane County grand jury indictment returned last week lists the death of LeAnna Pitts as taking place “on or about” Sept. 30.

A former youth pastor arrested at a Eugene church after, police allege, he shot his wife pleaded not guilty Friday, Oct. 16, to second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon.

Gregory Allen Pitts, 55, has been charged in connection with the death of LeAnna Pitts, 52.

LeAnna Pitts worked as a director in the facilities department at the University of Oregon, where she was remembered as a “much loved, admired, and respected” colleague, a university spokesperson has said.

An obituary for Pitts stated she “cherished time with her children and three grandchildren.”

Her death is listed as taking place “on or about” Sept. 30, according to an indictment returned by a Lane County grand jury and filed Thursday.

Eugene police responded the morning of Oct. 1 for a welfare check. They found LeAnna Pitts deceased in the home that she shared with her husband. The house is on Fox Hollow Drive in far south Eugene.

Police said they arrested Gregory Pitts later on Oct. 1 at the University Fellowship Church on Cal Young Road in north Eugene.

Brett Gilchrist, lead pastor at the church, said in an email he had never met either LeAnna Pitts or Gregory Pitts before the shooting, and that they were not members of the church.

On Oct. 1, Gregory Pitts reached out to “an elderly man who is in our church that he’s known for years,” Gilchrist said.

Pitts and the other man met for coffee “but on learning of his crime that man called me” and asked for help, Gilchrist said.

He said he agreed to assist in facilitating the surrender of Pitts to authorities.

“The 3 of us met at the church, I asked [Pitts] if he was armed, he was not,” Gilchrist said. “He wanted to turn himself in.”

Gilchrist said he had Pitts’ driver’s license and called the police nonemergency line, providing information about Pitts and their location.

“We waited and visited until EPD arrived and they handled it very professionally as always,” Gilchrist said. “I have followed up with the older man in our church. He handled the situation beautifully. That’s all there is to tell.”