Murder, arson trial begins for Peekskill man accused of killing stepfather

Deloris Randolph looked out her Peekskill apartment early on Sept. 14, 2022, and thought her son and step-grandson were hugging in the parking lot.

But then she heard Edward Reeves yell, "Mom, help me, call police" and a moment later she saw his white T-shirt covered in blood as the younger man walked away.

Randolph was in Westchester County Court Monday as the first witness in the trial of Shane Gilleo, 32, who is charged with second-degree murder in his stepfather's death and with third-degree arson after allegedly setting fire to his mother's apartment hours after the killing.

Assistant District Attorney Kevin Jones told jurors that Gilleo stabbed Reeves seven times with a 5-inch knife for no apparent reason, a killing the prosecutor called vicious, savage and cold-blooded. One stab wound was so deep that it left part of Reeves' small intestine on the ground in the parking lot, he said.

But defense lawyer Richard Ferrante urged jurors to keep an open mind. He suggested that there were flaws in the prosecutors' case and they would have a hard time proving what they claim Gilleo did.

Family appeared to be enjoying one another's company

Reeves married Gilleo's mother when the boy was a toddler and was the only father figure Gilleo ever knew. The 48-year-old had moved to North Carolina but was back in Peekskill in September 2022 to visit his mother and extended family. He was staying at Randolph's apartment on North James Street, as was Gilleo.

Randolph said the family spent Sept. 13 enjoying each other's company, laughing, eating and telling stories.

After dinner, Reeves went out, leaving his mother and Gilleo in the apartment. She said she was watching television in her room when Gilleo, her step-grandson, repeatedly came in asking her about some clothes. She said she didn't know what he was talking about and twice called her son to let him know Gilleo seemed agitated. Reeves told her not to worry about it, that he'd be home soon.

Shortly before 12:30 a.m., Gilleo left the apartment. Randolph said she got up to see where he went and heard Reeves pleading for help. She said she ran to the window to look outside. At that point in her testimony, she broke into tears telling Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ehrhardt, "I can't do this. I don't want to do it."

Westchester County Judge Robert Prisco dismissed the jury and gave Randolph some time to compose herself in the hallway before she returned to resume her account.

She said when she looked outside, she saw the two men and it appeared they were hugging. But her son was still yelling for help. As she went downstairs she heard him say, "Mom, help me, call police." She ran back up to get her phone and by the time she returned to the ground floor, Gilleo was walking away and Reeves lay mortally wounded on the ground.

She said her son managed to get up and walk over to some steps as he clutched his abdomen but could not make it any further. She said she tried to comfort him and pray with him. When police arrived he was taken to Westchester Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.

Gilleo soon got a ride from his aunt, who spotted him walking on Highland Avenue, and she took him to his mother's house on Grant Avenue. About 10 hours later, police arrived and Gilleo barricaded himself inside and allegedly set three small fires before punching out windows. He jumped out and was taken into custody.

Randolph did not see weapon or attack on her son

Randolph acknowledged that she never saw Gilleo strike Reeves and did not see a knife in his hand. She did testify that at one point her son said the word "Shane" but nothing more.

When Ferrante suggested on cross examination that her account to police and to the grand jury did not include any claim that her son had voiced Gilleo's name, she said that what she saw that morning made it hard at times to remember details.

"I love my grandson, I love my son," she told him. "I'm sorry if my answers today don't match up. I don't want to remember it."

Ferrante did not detail the defense case in his opening statement. But in his cross examination of Randolph he seemed intent on suggesting someone else might have attacked Reeves before Gilleo exited the apartment.

Randolph acknowledged hearing Reeves yell for help only right right after Gilleo had left.

And Ferrante asked her if what she initially saw as hugging could have been Gilleo helping his step-father.

Jurors heard the question but it won’t be part of the evidence they consider because Ferrante withdrew it before getting an answer.

Gilleo faces up to 40 years to life in prison if convicted of murder and arson.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Murder, arson trial begins for Peekskill man accused of killing stepfather