Teen pleads guilty to killing foster father
Duane Dean Gillespie, now 19, pleaded guilty to seconddegree murder and faces 18 years to life in prison.
A Dinsmore man who as a 17-year-old shot his former foster father pleaded guilty to the man’s murder Wednesday and is expected to get 18 years to a life sentence.
Duane Dean Gillespie, now 19, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and admitted to using a firearm in the shooting death of his former foster father, Richard Dennis Falk, of Dinsmore, on Oct. 5, 2017, which Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees, who was one of the attorneys who prosecuted the case, said carries an 18-yearsto-life sentence. He also pleaded guilty to burglarizing the home of his former foster mother, Paula Mattocks, of Arcata, on Sept. 16, 2017.
“He got six years for that,” Rees said. “But that’s going to be served at the same time as the murder count.”
Other felony charges, such as carjacking and robbery, and special allegations, such as murder by lying in wait, were dropped.
While the sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20, Gillespie will have to serve at least 18 years, said Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees, and he doesn’t get credit for the time he’s already spent in jail.
“If you are convicted of murder, you do not get any credits under California law,” Rees said. ” … He would have to serve every day of the 18 years.”
His 18-year parole eligibility date started Tuesday, he said.
During the preliminary hearing, the main witness was a former girlfriend of Gillespie, referred to as Jane Doe, who described going to Falk’s house with Gillespie and hearing the gunshots that resulted in Falk’s death after Gillespie went inside.
“I saw Richard (Falk) on the ground; he was not moving,” Doe testified at the hearing, later adding, “I saw blood on his forehead and his chest and we then went into the house and (Gillespie) took some money and stuff that was laying around.”