On a Friday in June 2014, authorities at Arlington National Cemetery were drawn to Section 64 by reports of a gunshot. There, they discovered the body of Robert S. Terrill, a 92-year-old retired U.S. Air Force Colonel from Falls Church, Virginia. He was found with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the same section of the cemetery where his late wife, Helen Burgess Terrill, had been buried in 2009.
The incident was noted as a tragic and unusual event in the cemetery's long history.
Investigators from the Army's Criminal Investigation Command led the inquiry into Terrill's death. While they conducted a thorough investigation to rule out any other possibilities, they stated early on that they did not suspect foul play. Neighbors and those who knew him were shocked by the news, describing him as someone who didn't complain and was very helpful to others. He had been deeply devoted to his wife, caring for her during a long illness, and found himself alone after her passing as the couple had no children.
Robert Terrill was a decorated veteran who had served for at least 20 years in the Air Force, achieving the rank of colonel in 1959 and retiring in 1968. During his distinguished career as a command pilot, he amassed over 8,000 flight hours. He and his wife, whom he met in the early 1940s, were known for their close bond. In 2010, in a testament to his love for her, Terrill donated a significant sum to Lock Haven University to establish a library fund in her honor, referring to himself as her 'loving soul mate' at the dedication. No arrests were made in connection with his death, as all evidence pointed to a personal tragedy.
