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Terminally Ill Husband Shot by Wife; She'd 'Do It Again'
29 Jan
Summary
- Woman shot her terminally ill husband with his blessing.
- She served less than a year in prison for the act.
- The 79-year-old woman stated she would repeat the action.
Ellen Gilland, 79, of Winter Park, Florida, has been released from prison after serving nearly a year for the shooting death of her husband, Jerry Gilland, 77. The couple had agreed to a murder-suicide pact three weeks prior to the incident on January 21, 2023. Jerry Gilland, suffering from advanced dementia and other medical issues, expressed his desire to die.
Ellen Gilland stated she shot her husband in his hospital room at his request, then intended to take her own life but was unable to. Hospital staff reported the incident, leading to a standoff with police. She was initially charged with first-degree murder but later pleaded no contest to assisting self-murder/manslaughter and assault charges. She was sentenced on February 28, 2025, to 366 days in prison and 12 years of probation, and has now been released.
