Amanda F. Blevins Gillen, a 20-year-old woman from Upper Sandusky, Ohio, tragically died on September 6, 2014, in Middletown, Ohio. She was born on July 8, 1994, to Matthew and Robin Blevins. Amanda is survived by her husband, Keegan Gillen, and their daughter, Stella Gillen.
The cause of Amanda's death was a gunshot wound to the head. According to police reports, Amanda and her boyfriend, Deangelo J. Jones, age 19, were preparing to play a game of Russian roulette.
Jones loaded a revolver with one round of ammunition and left the room for a moment. During his absence, Amanda began playing the game by herself. When Jones returned, he grabbed the gun from her, and it discharged, striking Amanda in the face. Jones claimed that the gun went off while he was trying to take it from her.
Following the shooting, Jones fled the scene on foot and disposed of the gun in the Great Miami River. He later turned himself into police and was charged with involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, as well as two counts of weapons under disability and tampering with evidence. Jones was held in Middletown City Jail with a bond set at $100,000. During a search of Jones' residence, police discovered a second stolen revolver.
The tragic incident led to a series of legal proceedings against Jones. He faced charges in Middletown Municipal Court and was previously arrested in February 2014 for possessing a loaded handgun in a school safety zone. Jones had been sentenced to probation and corrective thinking classes but never returned to school following his arrest.
Amanda's death was a devastating event for her family and community, and the legal actions taken against Jones highlighted the serious consequences of reckless behavior and the importance of gun safety.
