William Wayne Gilbert

Serial Killer

William Wayne Gilbert: The New Mexico Killer Who Confessed to Six Murders

Overview

William Wayne Gilbert was a New Mexico murderer whose violent crimes came to public attention in January 1980 after his arrest in Albuquerque. Gilbert ultimately confessed to six killings, including the murders of his wife, Carol Gilbert; Barbara McMullen; and Kenn and Noel Johnson. Four of the victims became the subjects of separate criminal prosecutions that resulted in murder convictions against him. Gilbert's case was particularly disturbing because several of the murders involved kidnapping and sexual violence in addition to homicide. His crimes occurred within a relatively short period, and investigators were still unaware of some of the killings when Gilbert began describing them during interrogation. According to New Mexico court records, two of the murders he confessed to involved victims whose deaths had not yet been known to the detectives questioning him. The prosecutions that followed produced several major decisions from the New Mexico Supreme Court. Gilbert received multiple life sentences and, for the murders of Kenn and Noel Johnson, death sentences. Those cases also produced extensive litigation concerning his confession, his invocation of his right to an attorney, and the circumstances under which police continued speaking with him.

Background

Gilbert was approximately 30 years old when he was arrested in January 1980. Court records describe him as a Vietnam veteran, a businessman, and someone who had worked as an undercover agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration. Because of that experience, the courts concluded that he was familiar with police procedures and understood the significance of the Miranda warnings given to him after his arrest. Gilbert was living in Los Lunas, New Mexico, with his wife, Carol. His familiarity with firearms and law-enforcement procedures would later become significant as detectives attempted to determine his connection to a rapidly expanding series of violent crimes. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Barbara McMullen Age: (24), Date of Death: January 8, 1980

Let loose by the Governor - New York Daily News