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Mar 31, 2022 · Patrick Wayne Gilham, 67, has pleaded no contest to the second-degree murder of Roxanne Leigh Wood, 30, in her home in Niles Township, Michigan, on Feb. 20, 1987, police said.
- February 19, 1987
- In Search of Answers
- DNA Leads to Suspect with A Violent Past
- A Crucial Piece of Evidence
- Day of Reckoning
Brad Woods remembers February 20, 1987, like it was yesterday. He was just 14 years old. Brad Woods: I was getting ready for school. … And I can remember my mom pounding on the bathroom door, saying to hurry up, she needed to talk to me. Hours earlier, Brad's 30-year-old sister Roxanne, known as "Rock", had been nearby in her Niles, Michigan, home ...
As investigators began piecing together clues in Roxanne Wood's rape and murder, the emerging picture offered up just one suspect: her husband, Terry. Det. Lt. Chuck Christensen: There was no sign of any forced entry. Peter Van Sant: Did that raise eyebrows? Det. Lt. Chuck Christensen: Absolutely. But Terry told police they'd been having problems w...
After 34 years and one last chance at solving the case with a speck of DNA too small to see with the human eye, Detective Chuck Christensen's daring bet paid off big. Det. Lt. Chuck Christensen: And to know that we had come to this point was simply amazing. Michigan State Police now believed they had finally tracked down Roxanne Wood's killer. Det....
Det. Sgt. John Moore: DNA is DNA. If … it's not a match, it's not a match. Detective Moore says investigators were shocked when the lab called to say the DNA sample from Patrick Gilham's cigarette butt did not match Roxanne's killer. Det. Sgt. John Moore: We were scratchin' our heads. … I called the trooper that grabbed that cigarette butt, and I s...
In the summer of 1987, just months after Roxanne Wood was murdered in her home, her alleged killer crossed paths with yet anotherwoman. It was a hot night in South Bend when Rose Caparell went outside to her front lawn. Rose Caparell: I was standing down there watering and all of a sudden, I hear this loud car coming down the street. Rose, standing...
Aug 13, 2023 · Janet Wood. In February 1987, Roxanne Wood and her husband, Terry Wood, went out for a night of bowling with friends. Roxanne left the bowling alley early to return home so she could rest up...
Feb 18, 2022 · Roxanne Leigh Wood was 30 years old when she was murdered in her own home back in 1987. The woman’s throat had been cut, and she was beaten over the head with a frying pan. Now, nearly 35 years to the day, police in Michigan say they’ve finally found her killer.
Apr 26, 2022 · Gilham was arrested on Feb. 17 and charged with open murder and breaking and entering an occupied dwelling. One month later, the Michigan State Police announced that he had entered a plea of no contest, agreeing to a minimum of 23 years behind bars, imposed at Monday’s sentencing.
Aug 9, 2023 · In the early morning hours of February 20, 1987, Roxanne Wood headed home from a night out with friends about 45 minutes before her husband, Terry. When Terry got home, he found Roxanne dead on...
Nov 12, 2022 · The subsequent inquiries revealed Patrick was living only four miles from Roxanne’s home at the time of the incident. More importantly, he was arrested once before, in 1980, for committing a similar (non-fatal) crime. Patrick had broken into Maureen Farag’s house and brutally sexually assaulted her.
