Helen Gillin

Incident date: 1992 Jan 1

Child placement type: Adoption

Helen Gillin, the 25 year old, mentally retarded, adopted daughter of James and Roberta Gillin, was stomped to death and her body was burned in a backyard fire pit in 1992.

Roberta Gillin made her adopted daughter drink a mixture of bleach and heart medication after finding out her husband was having sex with Helen.When Helen started to vomit, James stomped her to death. The couple dumped the body into a fire pit in the back yard of their Bear Rocks home, about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh. The body was then doused with gasoline and set on fire.

Roberta Gillin was cleared of all charges. James Gillin was sentenced to life in prison, where he remains to this day.,

Parent topics: abused adoptees

Documents

Title	Publication date
PA State Police Squad Cracking Cold Cases	2013 Mar 31
Forensic anthropologist to examine remains found in Georges Township	2012 Oct 3
Troopers recount Fayette murder case on TV tonight	2006 Apr 7
Proper burial has yet to come	2005 Nov 17
Mother acquitted in daughter's stomping death claims remains	2003 Aug 28
Murder victim's remains unclaimed	2003 Aug 26
Woman cleared in slaying of adopted daughter	2002 Jun 8
Helen Gillin's remains cannot be put to rest yet	2002 Jun 7
Judge expected to rule on mistrial request	2002 Jun 6
Murder charges disputed	2002 Feb 28
Judge denies Roberta Gillin's request	2002 Jan 19
Unsolved killings going to Fayette County trial	2002 Jan 1
Accused to plead insanity	2001 Sep 28
Woman withdraws guilty plea in muder	2001 Mar 27
Life term for father who killed, burned daughter	2001 Jan 20
Man guilty of killing his adopted daughter	2001 Jan 13
Daughter testifies against father in slaying - Says he stomped, burned retarded daughter	2001 Jan 10
Prosecutors say father stomped daughter to death	2000 Dec 27
Parents plead innocent in death of retarded daughter	1999 Dec 17
Couple faces trial in killing daughter	1999 Nov 16
Gillin couple admit killing their retarded daughter	1999 Aug 6
Police accuse parents of killing adopted daughter	1999 Aug 5
Cold case crime site dug up	1999 Aug 5