Thread: Arrest Made of **Another** Accused Serial Killer In Baton Rouge, LA

Made of Another Accused Serial Killer

www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=1826593

(Baton Rouge-AP) -- A Baton Rouge man was arrested today in the killings of three women since 1999.

41-year-old Sean Vincent Gillis was booked in the deaths of 29-year-old Katherine Hall, 45-year-old Johnnie Mae Williams and 43-year-old Donna Bennett Johnston.

Gillis was arrested at his home around 1:20 a.m. Thursday morning and charged with three counts of first degree murder and three counts of ritualistic acts. Authorities say Gillis did not resist arrest and agreed to a DNA swabbing. At around 7:00 a.m., authorities say Gillis confessed to the murders.

The arrest affidavit says a unique kind of tire led officers to Gillis. The affidavit also says that Gillis had an eight-year relationship with one of the victims, Johnnie Mae Williams.

9 News has also learned that Gillis has had three prior run-ins with the law. On March 9, 1980 Gillis was charged with criminal trespassing; On July 6th, 1982 he was arrested for running a red light and resisting arrest. On January 6th, 1993 he was cited with improper lane usage and DWI.

Hall was slain in January 1999, and Williams was killed in October, 2003. Johnston's body was found February 27th. Each woman had an arrest record for prostitution, drugs or both. Authorities have not said what led them to believe Gillis is a suspect in the women's deaths.

A task force of the Sheriff's Office, Baton Rouge Police, Louisiana State Police, the FBI and the Attorney General's Office have been involved in the investigation. Court records show that Gillis has been arrested once in the past, for criminal trespass in 1980.

We'll have more details on this story as it continues to unfold on 9 News at Five and Six.

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A segment broadcast on the noon news stated they are also linking the murder Hardee Schmidt and others ....

Originally Posted by Jolie Rouge

Does Baton Rouge Have ANOTHER Serial Killer ?


http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=1690077

One day after authorities formed a task force to investigate the murder of Donna Bennett Johnston as well as the murders of two other known prostitutes, Johnston's family laid her to rest.

Johnston's body was found, brutally murdered, February 27th. An autopsy showed she was strangled to death. Although there is no DNA to conclusively link the murders of Katherine Hall, Johnnie Mae Williams and Johnston, authorities there were several similarities between each case, including the method of how the women were killed and their bodies dumped. Authorities also say all of the women had criminal records involving drugs or prostitution.

Johnston's son tells 9 News that he is not happy with the impression the police description leaves with the public.

"I would like to say that my mother is not just some 'high-risk lifestyle' prostitute. She is a ray of sunshine and there is a lot that loved her. Everything she ever came into contact with she left something with," said Michael Bennett.

"I urge everybody out there who's ever lost a loved one who knows how I feel to please come together at this time because if you know how I feel then you know there's somebody out there walking the street that snuffed out my mom as well as other people and anybody could be next," said Bennett.

Police are asking anyone who may know anything about this murder to call the task force tip line at 866-973-2734 or 866-9SEARCH.