Florida woman, 76, shot dead her 77-year-old terminally-ill husband after barricading herself inside Daytona Beach hospital room in planned murder-suicide and now faces first degree murder charge
- Ellen Gilland is accused of shooting her terminally ill husband Jerry in a planned murder-suicide
- She stayed locked in the room at Daytona Beach hospital after allegedly killing her terminally-ill husband
- Gilland could face a first-degree murder charge from the shooting
A woman fatally shot her terminally ill husband inside a Florida hospital on Saturday and then barricaded herself in his room for four hours before surrendering in an ultimately failed murder-suicide.
Ellen Gilland, 76, told officers that her 77-year-old husband Jerry Gilland had been ill for some time and they had planned the shooting together, police spokeswoman Carrie McCallister said.
After shooting her husband at about 11:30 a.m., she refused to come out until about 3:30 p.m. after negotiating with police, McCallister said.
Afterward, it was revealed Gilland had planned to turn the gun on herself in a murder-suicide but ‘she couldn’t go through with it,’ said Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari E. Young.
Cops wait outside after a woman fatally shot her terminally ill husband inside a Florida hospital on Saturday and then barricaded herself in his room for four hours before surrendering in an ultimately failed murder-suicide
‘Apparently because he was terminally ill, they had a conversation about it and they actually planned this approximately three weeks ago that if he continued to take a turn for the worst that he wanted her to end this,’ Young said. ‘Obviously, we’re unsure how she brought that gun into the hospital, but this was planned.’
McCallister said no charges were immediately announced, but she was taken to a local jail Saturday afternoon, as Young acknowledged Ellen Gilland could face a first-degree murder charge.
Young said the plan was that Jerry Gilland was originally going to shoot himself but did not have the strength.
‘It’s a tragic circumstance because it just shows that none of us are immune from the trials and tribulations of life,’ Young added.
Ellen Gilland did not harm herself and no one else was wounded.
‘Even after the initial shooting, she never tried to get up and leave, so everything was confined to the room,’ Young said. ‘At no time were any of the hospital staff threatened, or any other patients.’
Part of the hospital was evacuated and some doctors, nurses and others took cover in locked closets and rooms.
Afterward, it was revealed Gilland had planned to turn the gun on herself in a murder-suicide but ‘she couldn’t go through with it,’ said Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari E. Young (pictured)
A police spokesman said no charges were immediately announced, but she was taken to a local jail Saturday afternoon, as Young acknowledged Ellen Gilland could face a first-degree murder charge
Young said the plan was that Jerry Gilland was originally going to shoot himself but did not have the strength
It was a ‘logistical nightmare’ to evacuate the patients on the floor, all of whom are on ventilators.
Police were ultimately able to secure Gilland by distracting her with a flash-bang device and a bean bag gun, according to the New York Times.
‘She’s very sad,’ Young said. ‘This is obviously a… it’s a tough situation,’ noting that Gilland had become depressed because her husband was terminally ill.
AdventHealth officials did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Police said the hospital has resumed normal operations.