Gillis Trial Day 3: Former live-in girlfriend testifies

By Jim Shannon - bio | email

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - The third day of the Sean Vincent Gillis trial has come to an end.

Wednesday, FBI witnesses described as "experts" gave key testimony and there were even some tears shed from Gillis himself. Gillis is accused in the 2004 strangulation death of Donna Bennett Johnston.

Late in the afternoon, a specialist with the Federal Bureau of Investigation out of Washington, D.C. confirmed that Sean Vincent Gillis's jailhouse confession letters were actually written by Gillis. Those letters are just part of many pieces of evidence the jury will use to decide if Gillis is actually guilty of first-degree murder.

Gillis actually broke down and cried when his former live-in girlfriend, Terri Lemoine, described how she still has a relationship with Gillis's mother. Lemoine also cried when she told Gillis that she had, and still does, love him. She also said she couldn't believe that he was capable of doing what he had done. The couple lived together for ten years.

Jurors have already heard from the accused serial killer, in a manner of speaking. They were played tapes of Gillis's original interview with police. On tape, Gillis can be heard complaining about crime in Baton Rouge and talking about why tire prints from his vehicle were found near Johnston's body.

Prosecutors in this case say they are ready to call their last four witnesses to the stand Thursday. We'll keep you updated on any new developments.

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