GILLEN, Everett & Maggie 1932-1978

GILLEN

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 7/26/2013 at 20:18:04

Services for Everett and Maggie Gillen, both 46, formerly of Waterloo, and of Mountainburg, Arkansas, are pending in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Crawford County (Arkansas) sheriff's deputies said the couple was found dead in Paris, Arkansas, about 50 miles from Mountainburg, where it was believed they were slain in a garage Friday.

Everett Gillen was born January 8, 1932, and Maggie July 8, 1932.

Survivors of Mr. Gillen are his father, Jack, formerly of Waterloo and now of Fort Smith, Arkansas, two daughters, Valerie of Kansas City, Kansas, and Robin of the U.S. Navy; four sons, Kim of the U.S. Army, Billy, Mike and Shawn, all of Kansas City, Missouri; five sisters, Evelyn of Calile, Calif., Betty Decker of Greenwood, Arkansas, Darlene Brandt and Geraldine Gallant, both of Fort Smith, Ariene Brandt of Illinois; two brothers, Richard of Mulberry, Arkansas, and Robert Gillen of 1652 Bertch Ave.; three half-brothers, George Dean] of 5425 Conard St., Ed of Michigan, and Un of Greenwood, Arkansas.

Source: Waterloo Courier, Monday, February 6, 1978.
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VAN BUREN, ARKANSAS (AP) - A man charged in the sledgehammer and ax slaying of a Mountainburg couple admitted killing the couple in one statement to officials, but said last week that his son did it, testimony at his trial Tuesday revealed.

Carol Andrews, 39, is charged with capital murder in the January 30 deaths of Everett Gillen, 46, and his wife Maggie, 45. The Gillens operated a garage where Andrews was employed. Andrews has pleaded innocent to the charges.

Testimony at Andrews' trial in Crawford County Circuit Court began Tuesday after a seven-man, five-woman jury was impaneled. Crawford County sheriff's deputy Bill Grill read a statement made by Andrews on February 3, the day cattleman Charles Koch found the bodies of the Gillens in their station wagon. The station wagon was in a ravine north of Carbon City in Logan County.

Andrews' February 3rd statement said he assaulted Gillen a few days after the two men quarreled over money. Andrews said he asked Gillen for $100 to attend his father's funeral. He said Gillen owed him $2,000. The statement said Gillen cashed a check for $100, but gave Andrews only $50, keeping the rest for himself. Andrews said Gillen was drunk the day of the slayings, when the two men began quarreling about another matter.

Andrews' statement said that he shot Gillen once in the head and then chased Gillen when he ran out of the garage. He said he carried Gillen back into the garage. When Gillen tried to hit him with a chair, he struck Gillen on the head with a sledge hammer, the statement said.

Mrs. Gillen then entered the garage, and Andrews said he hit her on the head with an ax, according to the statement.

"I don't regret killing Sarge (Gillen) at all because I think he had it coming a hundred times over, but I do regret killing Maggie," the statement continued. "The reason I killed Maggie is that she had to know Sarge and me had gotten into it, and I had hit him hard enough to kill him."

Crawford County Sheriff Trellon Ball said Andrews changed his story on Thursday. He said Andrews told him he had shot Gillen, but then tried to help him. Andrews said his son Terry, 18, killed the Gillens as he hunted for a wash rag. Ball testified.

Terry Andrews and Tommy Andrews, 33, the defendant's brother, are charged in the case with hindering the apprehension or prosecution of a felon. Andrews' attorney said during his opening statement that he might try to prove Andrews is innocent by reason of insanity.

Source: Blytheville Courier News, Wednesday, July 12, 1978, Blytheville, Arkansas.