On a summer day in 1972, the rumble of motorcycles on Interstate 93 in Londonderry, New Hampshire, was punctuated by the sharp crack of gunfire, leaving a young man dead and a chapter of a violent rivalry written in blood. The male victim was Kevin Gilroy, a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club from Lynn, Massachusetts. Riding alongside his fellow club member, Robert Gardner, Gilroy was ambushed in a brazen daylight attack that stemmed from a bitter and ongoing feud with the rival Devil's
Disciples Motorcycle Club. A vehicle pulled alongside the two Hells Angels, and shots were fired, striking both men. While Gardner was wounded in the assault, Gilroy sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the heart and died on the scene on June 12, 1972.
The brazen nature of the murder sent shockwaves through the community and put a spotlight on the violent world of outlaw motorcycle gangs. The man behind the trigger was identified as Dean J. Dayutis, a member of the Devil's Disciples. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Dayutis fled and managed to evade capture for years, leaving the case to grow cold. The investigation spanned over a decade as law enforcement tirelessly pursued leads in an effort to bring Gilroy's killer to justice. The search for Dayutis finally came to an end in November 1982 when he was located and apprehended in Key West, Florida.
Following his capture, Dayutis was extradited back to New Hampshire to finally face charges for the murder of Kevin Gilroy. His trial in 1983 brought the long-unsolved case to a close. Dayutis was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder for his role in the fatal roadside shooting. The conviction provided a measure of justice for the slaying of Kevin Gilroy and marked a significant victory for law enforcement in their efforts to quell the violence between the warring motorcycle clubs. The case remains a stark reminder of a turbulent period marked by fierce rivalries and deadly consequences.
