Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘He Had a Torture Chamber’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Evil Lives Here,’ the primary focus is on the gruesome crimes of Russell Tillis and the traumatic experiences of her ex-wife, Terry Patzer. When the police followed up on a lead and searched Russell’s property in Jacksonville, Florida, they came across the remains of a woman. Featuring an exclusive and in-depth interview with Terry, the documentary dives deep into the background and crimes of the killer, as well as his trial.
Russell Tillis’ Addiction Became One of the Reasons For His Failed Relationships
Before his dark secrets were uncovered, Russell Tillis was married to Terry Patzer for nine years, during which he allegedly inflicted all kinds of abuse on her. However, as per Terry’s accounts, things were different before the marriage. She claimed that he was a decent man, but his behavior and attitude towards her altered drastically within a year as he battled drug addiction. Throughout their time together, Russell kept adding on to his already lengthy rap sheet, which included charges of kidnapping, sexual battery, and kidnapping. According to reports, his neighbors filed orders of protection against him as he allegedly threatened to kill them. In 1997, when he was serving time for a crime, Terry finally divorced him and tried to move on with her life.
Prior to his marriage to Terry, Russell was in a relationship with Shannon Brinkley, with whom he even shared a son named Nathan Russell Tillis. Looking back on her relationship with him, Shannon claimed that he had told her about being sexually assaulted by his father as a child. There were several reasons they broke up, including his methamphetamine addiction and drug-dealing habits. She elaborated: “It wasn’t just the drugs, it was the fact that I was nervous about his past. I was nervous about the history he had with his dad. I was worried … about my son. I don’t want my son to be raped in a household where it’s OK to abuse children.” His son, Nathan, was just two months old when the couple parted ways.
Russell Tillis Admitted to Committing Multiple Crimes While in Jail
Russell’s murderous secrets started spilling in 2015, when he was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and battery on officers, who were met with booby trapped on his yard while chasing him. While he was behind bars, he reportedly confided in an inmate named Sammy Evans and confessed to him about killing at least three people, including Joni Lynn Gunter. Not knowing that Sammy was wearing a wire and was cooperating with the authorities, Russell also revealed that he had dismembered the woman and buried the remains on his property, where he claimed that he held women captive and sold them to his friends for sex and abuse.
Following up on the lead, the detectives searched the killer’s Southside property at 3551 East Bowden Circle in Jacksonville, Florida, and found Joni’s buried remains. Thus, on December 8, 2016, he was charged with murder, kidnapping, human trafficking, evidence tampering, and abuse of a body, in connection with Joni’s murder. Since Russell also implicated his brother, Claude Tillis, of becoming upset over a woman and telling him to kill her, the authorities brought Claude in for questioning. However, he was cooperative and denied his brother’s allegations against him.
Russell Tillis is Currently Incarcerated at a Florida Prison Facility
Around April 2021, Russell Tillis stood trial for the murder and kidnapping of Joni Lynn Gunter. While the prosecution argued that the murder was premeditated, the defendant took the stand and stated that the recorded confession was not the truth. He claimed that he lied because he wanted to get the death penalty at the time and even tried to take his own life by swallowing pills. He said, “Joni Gunter arrived at my residence in the trunk of my brother’s car, and she was deceased. How she met her death, I had no clue.” However, he admitted to burying her remains in his backyard.
On April 9, 2021, the jury deliberated for several hours before finding Russell Tillis guilty of premeditated murder, kidnapping, and abuse of a dead body. The sentencing phase of his trial commenced soon, during which the prosecution called two of his survivors to testify against him. Meanwhile, the defense portrayed the convict as a victim who suffered trauma and violence at a young age. On April 15, he managed to avoid the death penalty as the jury ended up recommending sentencing him to life without the possibility of parole.
Less than a couple of months later, on June 1, during his sentencing hearing, Russell expressed his disappointment in his defense attorney, who he thought didn’t do a good job. He said, “Mr. (Chuck) Fletcher refused to call any to corroborate my testimony. Mr. (Donald) Mairs did absolutely nothing during the trial.” Ultimately, the killer was sentenced to two back-to-back life sentences for the counts of murder and kidnapping. In addition, he received a 30-year sentence for the count of abuse of a dead body. As of today, he is serving his sentence at Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton, Florida.
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