In the winter of 2017, the life of 31-year-old Travis Jay Gillett, a Caucasian male, was cut tragically short in the remote woods of Lincoln County, Montana. His body was discovered on January 16 in the Yaak River Valley, a few days after he was reported missing from Bonner County, Idaho. An investigation swiftly determined that Gillett had been the victim of a homicide, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
The ensuing investigation unraveled a dark and complex story that crossed state lines. It was revealed that Gillett had left Sandpoint, Idaho, on January 13 with the intention of making a delivery in the Yaak area. Instead, he was abducted by his former girlfriend, Sarah Carpenter, and her new husband, Ezra Skinner. Skinner would later testify that Carpenter had picked Gillett up from a homeless shelter with the intent to kill him.
He recounted a grim journey from Ponderay, Idaho, to the Libby area with Gillett bound, sedated, and in their vehicle.
According to Skinner's testimony, the couple made several stops, at one point considering throwing Gillett into the river near the Libby Dam before continuing on to the more remote Yaak River Road. It was there, at a stop along the road, that Skinner claimed Carpenter forced Gillett out of the car at gunpoint, marched him down an embankment, and shot him. In an attempt to cover her tracks, Carpenter later reported Gillett missing and even led Montana authorities to his body, fabricating a story about finding his wallet and cellphone with a note indicating the location.
During her trial, Carpenter presented a different version of events, accusing Skinner of being the one who abducted and killed Gillett. Her defense argued that Skinner was motivated by a belief that Gillett had caused Carpenter to have a miscarriage. Despite her claims, a jury found Sarah Carpenter guilty of deliberate homicide. Her husband, Ezra Skinner, had initially been charged with the same but later pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence as part of a plea deal that included his testimony against his wife.
