Naman Shrestha
Around the most beautiful time of the year, the community of Middleborough, Massachusetts, was shaken to its core when Tara Gillon was found dead inside her father’s house. With just a few clues at hand, the detectives ensured to get to the bottom of the case. All the intricate details of the case and the swift investigation that ensued are covered in the episode titled ‘Trailing a Killer’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Real Murders on Elm Street,’ along with insightful and emotional interviews with the officials linked to the case and Tara’s loved ones.
Tara Gillon’s Holiday Visit to Her Father Ended in Tragedy
Tara E. Gillon was born on July 27, 1976, in Taunton, Massachusetts. Although her mother and father, Charles, eventually went their separate ways, it didn’t diminish the love they harbored for their children. Therefore, Tara never had a shortage of love and care while growing up. As the years passed, Charles found love again with Carol, and the two ultimately got married. From what we can tell, Tara welcomed her stepmother with open arms, and the latter was equally affectionate towards her. She also shared a close-knit bond with her sister, Brianna. At some point during her childhood, she relocated to Evansville, Indiana, and lived with her mother. She received her early education at Harrison High School and then went on to enroll at Indiana University.
In 1996, Tara was a sophomore at the university, reportedly majoring in English. It had been a while since she moved out of her mother’s place and was sharing an apartment off-campus with a friend. The 20-year-old was a free-spirited individual and a bright student with high hopes for her future. For the holidays, she wanted to create beautiful memories with her father, Carol, and Brianna, so she decided to visit them in Massachusetts. They lived in Middleborough, Plymouth County, in a two-story house located at 278 Old Center Street. Tara was seemingly excited to ring in the new year with them and had decided against going out to party. On December 31, 1996, Charles and Carol went out to attend a New Year’s supper, when their lives were forever changed.
Charles and Carol returned at 11 pm, just an hour after Brianna had headed out to attend a party, to find their beloved Tara dead. Charles discovered her on the floor of the living room with multiple stab wounds. According to reports, she was partially clothed, with no clothing from the waist down. When the authorities arrived, the couple informed them that they had heard someone storm out from the back door right when they arrived. The police observed that, though the house had been ransacked, there was no hint of the theft of personal property. However, they did discover tracks from a sneaker surrounding the house, and an investigation was launched. Medical reports stated that the young woman was stabbed over 20 times. The cause of Tara Gillon’s death was determined to be strangulation and multiple stab wounds.
Tara Gillon Was Home Alone When the Killer Fatally Attacked Her
The investigators followed the footprints that they found around the house, which led them to Ash Street. The police then proceeded to interview people from different parties on the street and learned that an 18-year-old named Ryan Burgess had left the party early. Following up on the claims, around 12:15 am, the detectives knocked on the door of the house at 19 Elm Street, where he had been residing with his friend’s parents, Len and Katherine Shelley. While talking to Ryan, they noticed bloodstains on his pants, a small cut on his lip, scratches on his arms, and a pair of shoes that matched the prints found outside Tara’s father’s house.
Upon digging deeper into Ryan’s life, the investigators uncovered that he had been previously involved in multiple cases of breaking and entering. During his police interview, he reportedly confessed to breaking into Tara’s house, raping her, and stabbing her to death. Moreover, he led the police to the site where he disposed of the murder weapon. Since the detectives found DNA evidence that placed him at the crime scene, he was charged with the murder of Tara Gillon. During his arraignment, his girlfriend, Amanda Briggs, testified that he had left the party early following an argument with one of his friends. She claimed to have walked with him for a distance before returning to the party for her jacket.
The prosecution theorized that after Amanda parted ways with Ryan that night, around 10 pm, the latter broke into the Gillon residence at 278 Old Center Street, having watched Tara Gillon’s sister, Brianna, leave the house with her friend. It was alleged that Ryan claimed to be a friend of her sister before attacking her with a knife multiple times. The prosecution told the judge that he proceeded to rape her after stabbing her to death, and then ransacked the upstairs rooms before fleeing the scene. A trooper also testified that the accused had confessed to his crimes. Meanwhile, the defense attorney argued it was uncharacteristic of Ryan’s nature and advised that he should be sent to a mental hospital for evaluation. Despite Ryan’s claims of innocence, the judge officially indicted him for the murder of the 20-year-old woman.
Ryan Burgess is Possibly Serving His Time Behind Bars Even Today
Ryan Burgess pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder and armed burglary in connection with Tara Gillon’s killing and decided to take his chances in the court of law. About a year after his arrest, his trial commenced in January 1998. The prosecution brought in multiple witnesses, including a state trooper who testified that the defendant had confessed to his crimes in detail after his arrest. Expert witnesses were also called to testify that the footprints found outside the house matched his shoes, Tara’s DNA was found on his jeans, and his DNA matched with a cigarette butt discovered on the crime scene.
Considering the mounting DNA evidence against Ryan Burgess, the jury deliberated for only three hours before reaching a final verdict. He was convicted of first-degree murder and armed home invasion. Following his conviction, in January 1998, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A few years later, in 2001, the convicted killer filed a motion to get his conviction overturned, claiming that the authorities conducted an unlawful search after the murder. However, the Supreme Judicial Court rejected his appeals and upheld his conviction. As of today, the 47-year-old killer is still seemingly incarcerated at a prison facility.
