Thursday, April 12, 2012

Henderson, NV: Coroner identifies Henderson man who killed wife, himself

A Henderson man and his wife who died in a murder-suicide late Tuesday in their home were identified Wednesday as Curt M. Jillson and Kai Chen Jillson.

The Clark County coroner's office said Curt Jillson, 51, shot his 61-year-old wife in the head. He then shot himself in the head.

The couple's three dogs also were killed.

Henderson police said they received a 911 call just before midnight from 2338 Thayer Ave., near Green Valley and Windmill parkways.

A man told a dispatcher that he had killed his wife and was going to kill himself. He said the front door was unlocked and then ended the call.

No one answered the door at the house when police arrived. SWAT later used a robot to enter the house and found the Jillsons dead in the bedroom.

Officers found the couple's three dogs -- two Jack Russell terriers and a Chihuahua -- dead in the backyard swimming pool.

Like many in Southern Nevada, the Jillsons were struggling financially.

According to public records, the couple filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in May . The files listed more than $160,000 in debt the couple had accumulated through credit cards, lines of credit and student loans.

The records said Curt Jillson worked as a dealer at Paris Las Vegas. His wife was unemployed. The bankruptcy files also show the couple owned two .22-caliber guns.

According to Clark County property records, the Jillsons bought their 2,160-square-foot house in 1997 for $171,950.

The yellow-trimmed house has two palm trees on its front lawn that swayed in the wind Wednesday afternoon. The front door was boarded up. A fluorescent, orange-yellow sticker from the Clark County coroner's office warned potential trespassers that the property is sealed and under surveillance.

The neighborhood of well-kept houses was quiet Wednesday afternoon.

That was not the case late Tuesday and earlier in the morning Wednesday.

Neighbor Eric Alt said he heard two gunshots about midnight.

His brother, Jason Alt, said that about 30 minutes later, police used a bullhorn to order the residents at Jillson's house to come out with hands up.

About 15 minutes later, the Alts were told to leave their house.

Jason Alt said the Jillsons mostly kept to themselves. He said he would see Curt Jillson every now and then and wave to him.

Alt described Jillson as an athletic, "military type" who stood about 6 feet tall.

He said Jillson also was "high strung."

"He was a little strange," Alt said. "I would never guess someone would do something like this. ... He was definitely a little bit off."

Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul said there was no history of domestic violence calls at the residence.

No comments: