Gillis denies connection

• By JOE GYAN JR.
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Jul 23, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Sean Vincent Gillis told investigators, in a videotape played for jurors Tuesday, that his tire tracks were found near a creek where a Baton Rouge woman’s body was found on Feb. 27, 2004, because he had gone there several days earlier to urinate after a night of beer drinking.

In the April 28, 2004, statement, made the day before Gillis was arrested in the murder of Donna Bennett Johnston, investigators questioned why Gillis did not simply drive another eight-tenths of a mile to his Burgin Avenue home and go to the bathroom there.

“When you get an urge, it’s just one of those things,’’ Gillis, smoking a cigarette, told FBI special agent Jeff Methvin and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Detective Bryan White, who were questioning Gillis at the Sheriff’s Office.

Methvin then asked Gillis if it would surprise him to learn that Johnston’s body was found not far from the tire tracks near the Ben Hur Road drainage canal.

“No, it wouldn’t. We wouldn’t be talking,’’ Gillis answered without hesitation.

When Methvin asked Gillis to elaborate on exactly what he meant by that, Gillis said he knew they had his tire tracks .

“I understand,’’ Gillis replied. “When you called me yesterday (April 27, 2004), I said, ‘Oh God, that’s the area.’ ’’

Methvin testified before the statement was played that he called Gillis on April 27, 2004, and asked if he could come to Gillis’ home the next day and talk with him about Johnston’s death and about the Goodyear Aquatred 3 tires Gillis purchased on his birthday — June 24 — in 2003.

Gillis was arrested in his home April 29, 2004, after detectives traced a tire print near Johnston’s body to his car — a white 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier.

Sheriff’s Detective Max Schiele testified that Gillis was first contacted by authorities after his name surfaced on a list of about 90 people in the Baton Rouge area who had bought the Goodyear Aquatred 3 tire in the 14-inch size.

Methvin was part of a team charged with obtaining DNA samples from people who made those purchases. Baton Rouge Police Detective Jeremy Schiro said Gillis willingly consented to such a sample on the morning of April 28, 2004.

Methvin said Gillis was “very agreeable to speak with us’’ that morning. Methvin said Gillis told him he had heard about the 43-year-old Johnston’s death and had in fact been to the area where her body was found.