Christine Whitis, 75, was found dead on April 19, 2012, inside the garage of William Clyde Gibson in New Albany, Indiana. Gibson’s sisters discovered her body while at the home handling affairs for their recently deceased mother. Whitis was found nearly naked and had been beaten, sexually assaulted and mutilated; the medical examiner concluded her back was broken, she had been strangled with enough force to break a neck bone, and she likely died on April 18 after receiving a phone call from Gibson.

Police arrested Gibson the same day his sisters found the body when he was stopped driving Whitis’s vehicle while under the influence. Gibson admitted to killing Whitis during questioning; he was charged with her murder. At trial a jury convicted him in October 2013 and sentenced him to death.