Naman Shrestha
When Gayle Isleib suddenly passed away outside her home in Manchester, Connecticut, in 1996, the entire community was shell-shocked. Meanwhile, grief took over the 54-year-old’s family and friends. As the detectives dug deep into Gayle’s personal and professional life, they uncovered a deadly obsession that the perpetrator harbored for her, leading to her untimely demise. All the intricate details of the case and the investigation that ensued are covered extensively in Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Killer Beside Me: Almost Home,’ with insightful interviews with Gayle’s loved ones.
Gayle Isleib Was Fatally Ambushed in Her Home’s Driveway in 1996
Born on October 6, 1941, in Rumford, Maine, Gayle Roberta Morse Isleib was the beloved daughter of George C. Morse and Methyl Avis Polland Morse and sister of Meredith Morse. Growing up in Dixfield, Maine, Gayle finished her education with flying colors. In her professional career, she served as a secretary and office manager for small family-owned businesses for several years. On the personal front, she tied the knot with Clarence L. “Chuck” Schultz in 1961, but the marriage didn’t last. In 1973, she married for the second time to John Kidney.
When her second marriage also crumbled, she married Douglas “Doug” M. Isleib in 1992. Over the years, she had become mothers to three children — Merit Lajoie, Leann Morse, and Kris. At the time, she was working part-time in the shoe department of a local Walmart store near her home at 863 Tolland Turnpike in Manchester, Connecticut. She and Doug planned to retire early and relocate near the lake. The 54-year-old woman was fun-loving and enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. Gayle had been looking forward to her future and spending more quality time with her family when fate suddenly intervened.
On the night of April 30, 1996, Gayle finished her evening shift at the store and left for home around 11 pm. When she arrived at her driveway, her husband heard multiple car horns and gunshots outside. When he went outside, he saw a man standing beside his wife’s car. Panic-stricken, Doug called 911 and reported the situation to the police. As the authorities arrived at the crime scene, they found Gayle dead in the front seat of her car. The cause of her death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds to her head. She also endured a few defensive gunshot wounds on her left hand. There were several .22-caliber casings present at the scene.
Gayle Isleib Filed Multiple Complaints of Harassment Against the Killer Prior to Her Murder
When the police arrived at the scene of the crime, they noticed Gayle Isleib’s husband, Douglas Isleib, with a small-caliber gun in his hand. Thus, they considered him a person of interest in the case. A few hours later, he was questioned at the police station, during which he explained that he had gone back inside the house after the shooting to get his gun and confront the suspect. He claimed that by the time he returned outside, the suspect had fled the scene in his small car. A couple of neighbors also testified to seeing a small light-colored car speeding away from the Isleib residence around the time of the shooting. After focusing their attention on Gayle’s workplace, they learned that one of her coworkers, Tyrone Montgomery, was obsessed with her.
As a matter of fact, Gayle had also complained to the store management about him, claiming he had been harassing her. The department manager, Raphael Conde, told the authorities that Tyrone allegedly pulled a prank on her a couple of weeks before the murder by pulling a BB gun on her in her car, after which she got angry at him. His vehicle also matched the suspect’s car as described by witnesses. As per Raphael, Tyrone had called him and claimed to have suffered a nervous breakdown after hearing the news of Gayle’s passing. The suspect called from St. Francis Hospital, but by the time the police reached there, he had been transferred to Cedarcrest Hospital.
In early May 1996, Tyrone was finally arrested for the murder of Gayle. After his arrest, the detectives searched his home and found a makeshift shooting gallery in the basement, where they found several .22 caliber casings, similar to the ones found at the crime scene. They learned that Tyrone had bought a .22 caliber rifle just a few days before the murder, and also planned to kill Doug Isleib, Gayle’s husband, with an icepick. The plan included him disguising himself as a woman and entering the Isleib house under an excuse. Thus, Tyrone was charged with felony murder, attempted murder, and using a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Tyrone Montgomery is Currently Incarcerated at a Connecticut Prison Facility
In September 1997, Tyrone Montgomery stood trial for killing his coworker, Gayle Isleib. While the prosecution presented a series of incriminating evidence against him, the defendant maintained his innocence. On October 1, 1997, the jury returned with a final verdict after deliberating for about two days. He was found guilty of felony murder and murder in connection with Gayle’s death. However, he was acquitted of the attempted murder charge. About a month later, he was sentenced to 65 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
After the sentencing hearing, Doug Isleib stated outside the courtroom, “It’s a no-win situation for me and the family because we can never get Gayle back. But we’re happy that this individual will be off the streets so he can’t hurt anybody else.” In October 2000, Tyrone’s appeal to the Court of Appeals to overturn his conviction was denied. As of today, the 55-year-old killer is serving his sentence at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield, Connecticut, with his release date scheduled for May 2061.
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