GUILTY DE - Tamela Gardner, 40, & Gabriel Gabrielli, 41, Wilmington, 9 Jul 2006

[Jovin]

God bless those poor kids! What a horrible thing to have to go through at any age, but especially at theirs. I'm glad they weren't at home at the time, or perhaps this story might have been even more horrendous.

 

[cathieq]

Instances like this never, never get any easier. I am so very sorry it turned out this way...

My deepest sympathy to to both families.

 

[opme]

http://cbs3.com/topstories/local_story_194111714.html

Two Bodies Found Inside Missing Woman’s Van

(CBS 3) HOCKESSIN, Del. Two burned bodies were discovered inside the van belonging to a missing New Castle County mother of two. The van, belonging to 40-year-old Tamela Gardner, was found Thursday morning in a wooded area in Hockessin, Delaware.

Police say the charred bodies of a man and woman were found inside Gardner’s 2000 Ford Windstar parked in Tweeds Park near Valley and Limetsone Roads. An autopsy will be performed to identifiy the victims.

Gardner disappeared from her home in the 400 block of Greenwood Drive in Mill Creek early Sunday morning.

Police said sher was last seen at the Goodshot Bar accompanied by 41-year-old Gabriel Gabrielli of Wayne, Pennsylvania Saturday night. The two had returned to Gardner’s home early Sunday and have not been seen or heard from since.
..............

My prayers and deepest sympathies go to both families. What a terrible thing for those poor children to have to experience. I can only hope that they are provided not only the love and support of thier family but some professional help as well.

 

[mom3dd]

So so sorry for both these families. Prayers to all.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

This is so sad

Prayers for the families and friends of these two victims.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

The story has been updated a bit:


A bartender at the Goodshot Bar said Gardner's ex-boyfriend had been harassing the couple for several days.

“I heard the messages on her phone, she played them for me,” said RosemarieVon Fange. “Nasty names, ‘You’re going to get yours,’ all kinds of stuff…It was scary.”

http://cbs3.com/topstories/local_story_194111714.html

 

[cathieq]

Just received the following updated information:

http://cbs3.com/topstories/local_story_194111714.html

(CBS 3) HOCKESSIN, Del. A person of interest in a Delaware double homicide investigation and missing persons case was arrested early Friday morning on un-related charges.

Police say Clifford Wright, the ex-boyfriend of 40-year-old Tamela Gardner, who went missing Sunday, was arrested for drug offenses and violating his probation.

Wright had been cooperating with police after his ex-girlfriend and her acquaintance, Gabriel Gabrielli, 41, mysteriously disappeared.

Gardner�s missing 2000 Ford Windstar was found Thursday morning in Tweed Park near Hockessin, two charred bodies were discovered inside the vehicle.

�Today I�m sad to report we have found the victim�s vehicle in this remote site known as Tweed Park,� said Scott McLaren of the New Castle County Police Department said a news conference Thursday.

�Further examination of the vehicle revealed the bodies of two persons inside, we have been unable to positively identify these bodies,� said Officer McLaren.

Gardner vanished from her home on the 400 block of Greenwood Drive in Mill Creek early Sunday morning.

Police said she was last seen Saturday night at the Goodshot Bar accompanied by Gabrielli. The two had returned to Gardner�s home early Sunday and had not been seen or heard from since.

A bartender at the Goodshot Bar said Clifford Wright, Gardner�s ex-boyfriend, had been harassing the couple for several days.

�I heard the messages on her phone, she played them for me,� said RosemarieVon Fange. �Nasty names, �You�re going to get yours,� all kinds of stuff�It was scary.�

A missing persons report was filed Sunday night just before 10:30 p.m. Officers investigating the report found Gardner�s purse inside her home along with signs of foul play. Her vehicle was also missing.

Although officials said they are investigating the case as a double homicide, they are awaiting results of an autopsy report to positively identify the bodies found in Gardner�s van.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Bodies In Burned-Out Van Positively Identified

Ex-Boyfriend Of Tamela Gardner Called Person Of Interest


MINQUADALE, Del. -- Two bodies found in a burned-out maroon van in Tweed's Park Thursday have been positively identified as Tamela Gardner and Gabe Gabrielli, police say.


Gardner, 40, and Gabrielli, 41, had been missing since early Sunday morning after they left a Stanton bar and went to Gardner's home in Mill Creek.


Clifford Wright, the former live-in boyfriend of Gardner, has been arrested on an unrelated drug charge and New Castle County police described him as a person of interest in the homicide investigation.

More: http://www.nbc10.com/news/9518830/detail.html

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Bodies Found In DE Van Idenfitied

(CBS 3) HOCKESSIN, Del. Police have positively identified two bodies discovered in a burned out van in Hockessin as those of a missing mother of two and her acquaintance.

Autopsy results confirmed 40-year-old Tamela Gardner and 41-year-old Gabriel Gabrielli were inside the 2000 Ford Windstar which was found by a construction crew Thursday morning.

Authorities said the pair died of blunt force trauma to the head before the inside of the vehicle was set ablaze.

Police said Clifford Wright, Gardner's ex-boyfriend was arrested for drug offenses and violating his probation Friday.

“With a high degree of certainty, he is a person of interest in this investigation,” said Cpl. Trinidad Navarro of the New Castle County Police Department.


More: http://cbs3.com/local/local_story_194111714.html

 

[Bobbisangel]

Oh no. How did that ex-boyfriend take both of them on at once? He beat them to death. This is just so sad. He must have taken them by surprise somewhere. Must have been at her home because she left everything there.

Another burned out vehicle. It seems that almost everyone that commits murder these days sets the vehicle on fire.

Notice how many of these ex-husbands, ex-boyfriends are arrested for something else before they are actually charged with murder? Seems like it happens all of the time now. That way they can't go anywhere while LE completes its investigation.

This guy just might be looking at LWOP or the death penalty. I wonder why in the world he couldn't just let her go??????

I'll repeat from a previous post...thank God the two kids have a loving caring dad that will give them a good home.

 

[cathieq]

Forward to Websleuths:

Subject: Re: I'm so sorryDate: Fri, 14 Jul 2006 23:50:16 EDTFrom: WendiTo:xxxxxxxx


Please send Cathie my gratitude for all of her prayers and help in getting Tammy's story out there. If she had been alive and missing I really think that she would have been found thanks to both of you as well as the many people praying for her and passing her story along. Words cannot even begin to express how much it means to me and my family. We are hanging on by a thread at the moment and of course we know things are going to get worse as we learn more and more. Please keep her two children in your prayers.
With love and gratitude,
Wendi
(((((((((((((((((((((To the many people who have prayed for Tammy))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

 

[cathieq]

Family Of Murder Suspect Denies His Involvement
MINQUADALE, Del. -- The family of the man that police call a "person of interest" in a Delaware murder case denied Sunday that he had anything to do with the crime, according to NBC 10...
http://www.nbc10.com/news/9525209/detail.html

 

[Bobbisangel]

Family Of Murder Suspect Denies His Involvement
MINQUADALE, Del. -- The family of the man that police call a "person of interest" in a Delaware murder case denied Sunday that he had anything to do with the crime, according to NBC 10...
http://www.nbc10.com/news/9525209/detail.html

That isn't unusual. They probably need to find out some facts before they will even allow themselves to even think that he may be guilty. It is when the family knows the facts yet still deny that "sonny boy" would ever do anything like that and they maintain that attitude throughout the trial and sentencing that it gets to me.
Must be hard to hang on to that attitude of denial when the truth is slapping you in the face everyday at a trial.

His family probably haven't heard him threaten her in the messages. It sounds like he is the guilty party though. I can't imagine beating anyone to death. I guess they can keep on believing that he wouldn't do something like that but if he is guilty he will be going to death row or prison for life regardless of what the family thinks.

 

[cathieq]

Just received a link to this:

A 38-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of two people whose bodies were found inside a burned van in Hockessin in 2006.
http://tinyurl.com/2rab6r

I just know he thought he got away with it....

 

[SewingDeb]

Good!

 

[Salem]

Yes - GOOD! I hope he rots!

 

[OkieGranny]

From February 2015:

http://courts.delaware.gov/opinions/download.aspx?ID=219330

Wright’s jury trial began on October 5, 2009, and concluded on November 19, 2009... At the close of trial, the jury returned a guilty verdict for all charges...

At the end of the penalty phase hearing the jury returned a verdict of 7-5 in favor of death. On March 5, 2010, this Court sentenced Wright to life in prison without parole for each conviction of first degree murder.