KINGMAN – The case of a convicted killer who sexually tortured his wife and stepson four years ago ended Friday with a life prison sentence and a strong rebuke by a local judge. The wheelchair-bound Jerry Gilligan, 72, is not eligible for release from the Arizona Department of Corrections for 167.5 years.
“You are simply pure evil,” Judge Billy Sipe told Gilligan. “You are now going to spend the rest of your life in prison and society will be much better off.”
Gilligan was released from prison in 2014 after serving 25 years for the murder of his stepfather in Tucson in 1980. He ended up in Kingman where he allegedly forced his wife and ten-year-old stepson to perform sex acts upon one another and himself.
Authorities said Gilligan made a video of some of the sex torture activity that was shown to the jury during the trial. Sipe said both victims are clearly scarred by what they endured and that the images sickened jurors, court staff and seasoned law enforcement professionals.
“This is just absolutely inhumane, reprehensible behavior,”Judge Sipe said.
Gilligan castigated his ex-wife during an incomprehensible rant prior to sentencing. He also said Judge Sipe treated him unfairly.
“It seems to me like you’ve been prejudiced and biased since the day I fired Mr. Puchek (former defense counsel),” Gilligan said.
The trial jury returned not-guilty verdicts for three counts of sexual conduct with a minor, three aggravated assault counts and another charge of administration of a dangerous drug to another person. The panel convicted Gilligan of three counts of sexual conduct with a minor, two counts each of sexual assault, aggravated assault and kidnapping and one sexual exploitation of a minor charge.
Judge Sipe imposed three consecutive life sentences for which Gilligan must serve at least 35 years. He ran another 62.5 years in prison consecutive to those sentences
Defense attorney Sandra Carr said she will file an appeal, contending evidence was improperly excluded at trial.
- Dave Hawkins
