Baton Rouge Jury Convicts Sean Vincent Gillis of the 2004 Murder of Donna Bennett Johnston

Prosecutors sought the death penalty, but six days later the same jury told the judge it was hopelessly deadlocked, leaving Gillis with life in prison.

Published July 25, 2008

Sean Vincent Gillis, wearing glasses and a mustache, in a snapshot taken before his arrest

Police said Sean Vincent Gillis had confessed to killing eight women in the Baton Rouge area. On July 25, 2008, an East Baton Rouge Parish jury convicted him of first-degree murder in the 2004 strangulation of Donna Bennett Johnston.

The jury took less than three and a half hours to reach its verdict. Gillis had already been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of Joyce Williams, 36, in West Baton Rouge Parish. In the penalty phase, prosecutors presented evidence of two other killings he was accused of and asked for a death sentence. Johnston's son and the daughter of Johnnie Mae Williams, another woman Gillis was accused of killing, testified. "I wasn't there for him. I was there for my mother," Johnston's son said. The defense called Gillis's mother.

On July 31, jurors told the judge they were "hopelessly deadlocked" on a death sentence, which meant Gillis would spend the rest of his life in prison. Prosecutor Prem Burns said it was unlikely that any of the other murders Gillis had confessed to would go to trial.

Police said Gillis had confessed to killing eight women, but he had been convicted of two murders.

Sources

State v. Gillis, No. 2007 KA 1909, Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit (via FindLaw)
Gillis found guilty of 1st degree murder, WAFB (Baton Rouge)
Gillis' mother takes stand during sentencing phase, WAFB (Baton Rouge)
Both sides give reaction to Gillis sentencing, WAFB (Baton Rouge)

Baton Rouge Jury Convicts Sean Vincent Gillis of the 2004 Murder of Donna Bennett Johnston

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