A Boston man had a historical past of home violence and a number of restraining orders from the mom of his three youngsters earlier than allegedly beating and strangling her to demise on Dec. 12, prosecutors mentioned throughout arraignment at Boston Municipal Courtroom on Wednesday.
“She was so much more than just Shantel — she was a daughter,” mentioned Shanakay Gillespie, the youthful sister of the sufferer, choking up as tears slid down her face outdoors the courtroom, “she was a sister, she was a friend, and most importantly, she was a mother. She will be missed dearly, and our family will ensure that her memory lives on.”
Eric McPhail, 37, was arraigned on the BMC Central Division on a cost of homicide in relation to the demise of Shantel Gillespie, 30, in her South Finish house on Dec. 12. McPhail pleaded not responsible and was ordered held with out bail.
McPhail wore a blue face masks and handcuffs Wednesday. He stood silently all through the proceedings and confronted away from courtroom benches full of Gillespie’s household and mates.
Simply earlier than 7 p.m. on Dec. 12, courtroom paperwork state, Boston Police acquired a 911 name from a witness involved that McPhail might have killed Gillespie, and officers had been dispatched to her residence at 390 Harrison Avenue within the South Finish.
Within the name, the witness reported that McPhail had dropped his three youngsters off at their house with luggage of garments and made statements that prompted the witness to be involved about Gillespie’s wellbeing, Assistant District Lawyer Erin Murphy mentioned Wednesday. He allegedly instructed the witness he was “going away for a long time” and denied figuring out the whereabouts of their mom, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.
One other witness reported he instructed them, “This is probably the last time you are going to hear from me,” paperwork mentioned.
On the residence through the wellness verify, police discovered Gillespie’s physique, Murphy mentioned. An post-mortem decided her reason for demise to be mechanical asphyxia and blunt pressure trauma to the pinnacle.
Surveillance footage, Murphy mentioned, exhibits McPhail enter the residence constructing simply minutes earlier than Gillespie on the night time of Dec. 11. by footage, Murphy mentioned, McPhail will be seen leaving for simply minutes round midnight earlier than returning and taking the three youngsters out at 8:02 a.m. Dec. 12. He returns for an additional about hour and half later within the morning, she mentioned.
McPhail has a historical past of home violence in opposition to Gillespie, together with earlier legal prices and two restraining orders from 2021 and 2022, paperwork present.
The defendant’s arrest follows a “long, painstaking investigation,” Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden mentioned Wednesday.
Gillespie was a “kind-hearted, generous and dedicated” mom of three younger youngsters and scientific assistant at Boston Youngsters’s Hospital, in keeping with her sisters Shanakay and Shanalee Gillespie. The younger mom immigrated from Mandeville, Jamaica in 2014, in keeping with a GoFundMe arrange by the sisters, and accomplished a nursing diploma program at Laboure Faculty of Healthcare simply days earlier than her demise.
McPhail’s arraignment was the “first step in the right direction for justice,” Shanalee Gillespie mentioned Wednesday.
“She spent her days caring for patients at Boston Children’s Hospital, her evenings finishing her nursing degree, and she went home to nurture her three beautiful children, ages 1, 3, and 6,” mentioned Shanakay Gillespie. “That takes a commitment and drive I admire. The world lost a beautiful soul on December 12, 2024.”
McPhail will return to courtroom for a possible trigger listening to on Mar. 7.
Initially Revealed:
