Prosecutors say father stomped daughter to death

Prosecutors say father stomped daughter to death

by Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
December 27, 2000

UNIONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA--When Helen Gillin, 25, disappeared from her adoptive parents' home in July 1992, family members said they believed the woman, who had mental retardation, ran away with a boyfriend. Her parents continued to collect her disability benefit checks, telling authorities they were saving the money for when Helen returned.

But last year, the Gillins' biological daughter came forward and reported that she had witnessed her parents, James and Roberta Gillin, kill Helen. The daughter told authorities that Roberta, believing Helen and James were having a sexual relationship, forced Helen to drink a mixture of liquid laundry detergent and heart medication. When Helen vomited the mixture, James beat and stomped her to death. Then the couple dumped her body into a fire pit, covered it with gasoline, and burned it.

An anthropologist recently identified some of the over 2,000 bone fragments found near the Gillin home as belonging to a white female.

According to today's Associated Press, the couple now face charges of criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse and criminal conspiracy. Roberta Gillin will testify against her husband as a part of a plea agreement when the case goes to trial next month.