Florida Woman Sentenced to 366 Days in Husbands Hospital Room Killing Amid Emotional Testimony 
 
A 78-year-old woman who shot and killed her terminally ill husband in his hospital bed last year was sentenced Friday to just over a year in prison, followed by 12 years of probation, in a case that has raised complex questions about mercy, mental health, and public safety.

Ellen Gilland pleaded no contest to manslaughter with a firearm and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the January 2023 shooting death of her 77-year-old husband, Jerry Gilland, at Advent Health Hospital. She was sentenced to 366 days in state prison, receiving credit for 42 days already served. Circuit Judge Kathryn Weston also ordered her to write apology letters to the nurse and first responders she pointed a firearm at after the shooting.

“I held the gun behind his ear. I pulled it away and asked him if he was sure,” Gilland said in court. “He raised his hand, placed it on my arm, and pushed the gun to his head. There was a loud bang, and he was gone.”

Her account suggested a pact between the couple, though prosecutors argued that Gilland’s actions endangered numerous others. After shooting her husband, she barricaded herself in the hospital room for hours, prompting a standoff with police. Bodycam footage showed officers pleading with her to surrender while she allegedly pointed her revolver at them. At one point, she reportedly fired a second shot into the ceiling as police deployed a flashbang and Taser.

Though the Taser was ineffective, officers eventually subdued Gilland without further injury. Inside her hospital room, police found a box containing 45 live rounds. An additional 100 rounds were discovered in her vehicle.

A nurse who was present during the incident, Hector Aponte, testified that he was so traumatized he left his job and still suffers from nightmares. “I didn’t feel safe anymore,” he told the court.

That testimony weighed heavily on Judge Weston’s decision. “I can’t begin to understand how difficult it would have been for you to actually pull the trigger to assist your husband in ending his own life,” she said. “I do believe that’s what you did. But I also believe your actions put others at serious risk.”

Originally charged with first-degree murder, Gilland eventually reached a plea deal in December. Her defense team argued that she was driven by a mental health crisis triggered by her husband's deteriorating condition. A psychiatrist testified that her depressive episode had passed and that she no longer posed a danger. Two nieces pledged to care for Gilland upon her release, promising a firearm-free environment and transportation to court.

Despite the defense’s plea for leniency, prosecutors emphasized the broader threat Gilland posed by bringing and discharging a firearm inside a full hospital. “This case is troubling,” the prosecution said. “She loved her husband. But she made a decision that jeopardized lives.”

Outside court, Gilland’s niece Bo Timme expressed surprise at the outcome. “I really thought I’d be bringing her home today,” she told WESH. “I’m shocked. I’m very worried about her. But I’m told it’s fair and actually a good outcome.”

Gilland is expected to serve the remainder of her sentence at a Florida correctional facility before beginning probation. 

Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video?

Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod
X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod

Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872