‘All about the clean up’ Convicted murderer told informant about Jilly Todaro’s death

CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Johnstown man convicted of killing and burying his wife is now facing additional criminal homicide charges.

Brian Giles, 48, was charged with criminal homicide after a lengthy investigation led police to find his ex-girlfriend’s remains. The body of Jillian Todaro was found on June 7 in the basement of a residence Giles once lived at. However, Todaro had been reported as missing since December 2020.

In Dec. 2020, police were called to a residence on Franklin Street on reports that Giles had allegedly punched Todaro in the face and head, according to the criminal complaint. While talking with Todaro, she told police that she was going to stay the night with a friend as a way to get out of the shared residence.

Todaro’s financial records showed that the last time her EBT card was used was Dec. 11, 2020, at a Sheetz on Haynes Street. Police noted that there were no other transactions made after that date and time.

On Dec. 12, 2020, Todaro contacted police over a letter that had been left outside the shared residence that she stayed at with Giles. The letter was signed from the “Watcher” and had requested Todaro meet with Giles and to communicate with him through text, police noted in the charges. The door to the residence had also been locked.

Previous WTAJ coverage on Todaro and Giles

December 12, 2020, was the last time that Todaro had been seen alive via video surveillance footage. Dec. 13, 2020, was the last time that Todaro was heard from, according to a friend who had talked to Giles on the phone and could hear Todaro in the background yelling.

Giles was ordered to report to his probation officer on Dec. 16, 2020, and was later arrested on a warrant from the argument between him and Todaro from earlier on that month. When Giles appeared before the judge, he was questioned on the whereabouts of Todaro.

Giles allegedly told the court that she was “out of town with her uncle,” according to the complaint. Police checked outside for Todaro, noting that the two usually came to offices together, however, were unsuccessful in finding her. A missing person’s report was subsequently filed and an investigation began.

On Dec. 23, 2020, police executed a search warrant on the residence on Franklin Street, where they noted finding an empty bottle of bleach, a woman’s purple winter coat and a handwritten note from Todaro which indicated that there was trouble in the relationship with Giles.

A few days later, police interviewed Giles on the whereabouts of Todaro. He allegedly told police that Todaro was “out of town” and that he hadn’t seen her since Dec. 11, according to the complaint. However, as previously noted, police had seen the two together on Dec. 12 on surveillance footage.

Giles also allegedly told police that he had broken up with Todaro and helped her pack all of her things to move her out. Furthermore, Giles claimed that a small truck, driven by Todaro’s new boyfriend by the name of “Ray Cosgrove,” picked her up. He alleged that Todaro went out of town to visit her uncle and had taken all of her things, including medication.

Finally, Giles claimed that the last time he saw Todaro she was “very much livin'” and that she was “a decent woman.”

After the interview, police attempted to locate a “Ray Cosgrove” who lived in Latrobe, which Giles had mentioned, however, they were unable to do so. Additionally, police reviewed video surveillance and could not find any tuck entering or leaving the alley that Giles had previously explained.

On Jan. 8, 2021, police were contacted by a family member of Giles’, who said that Giles had mailed a wallet from the Cambria County Prison, which allegedly contained several cards belonging to Todaro, including her EBT card, debit card and social security card.

Police were then contacted by an informant on April 16, who claimed that Giles had said if the informant ever needed help “getting rid of” a female, that he could help. Giles told the informant, “I am a professional. I got three under my belt,” according to the complaint.

When the informant brought up Todaro, Giles allegedly said, “[Todaro] was going to leave him and things got out of control.” Giles claimed that he accidently choked her and when asked what he did with her body he replied, “It’s all about the clean up,” police noted in the charges.

In Jan. 2022, police were contacted by the new tenants of Giles’ old residence on Franklin Street and said that they had found prescription pill bottles belonging to Todaro stashed inside the drop ceiling tiles.

Giles was found guilty of homicide of the first degree in June, 2024, for the killing and burying of his wife, Nancy Giles. Following the court proceeding, Giles allegedly told police that Todaro was buried in a hole in the basement of his former residence on Franklin Street.

Giles claimed that he was not responsible for her death or burial, but instead Todaro’s husband was. Todaro’s husband allegedly showed Giles her body after she was buried, according to the complaint.

On June 7, a forensic anthropology team from Mercyhurst University excavated a hole that was in the basement of the Franklin Street residence. Human remains were located inside, with them being positively identified by Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees on June 13. The cause of death was ruled a homicide and the manner of death was ruled asphyxiation by homicidal violence.

Giles was interviewed by police on July 16, where he claimed that he had last seen Todaro on June 6, 2021, when her and her ex/estranged husband allegedly showed up to his residence and asked to be let in, according to the complaint. It is important to note that previously, Giles had told police that he had last seen Todaro on Dec. 11, 2020.

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Furthermore, Giles then told police that he had went to jail where he attempted to contact Todaro on multiple occasions, but she never answered. Police noted that records obtained from the Cambria County Prison showed that Giles never attempted to contact Todaro after he went to jail.

Police also noted that although Giles claimed to see Todaro on June 6, 2021, he was in the Cambria County Prison from Dec. 16, 2020 until Nov. 6, 2021. When Giles was released in November, he told police he ran into Todaro’s ex/estranged husband, according to the complaint.

Giles claimed that the ex had taken him to the Franklin Street residence, down into the basement and had shown him a hole in the wall. The ex allegedly told Giles that he had killed and buried Todaro in the area, and proceeded to show Giles Todaro’s body, police noted in the charges.

Police questioned Giles as to how the ex would have been able to get into the basement, to which Giles claimed he had given him a key, which Giles took back after seeing Todaro’s body. Giles also allegedly told police that he had not reported anything because he was “afraid.”

Giles is now facing one count of criminal homicide, one felony count of aggravated assault and one misdemeanor of false reports. He is currently in the Cambria County Prison after being sentenced in the homicide of Nancy. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 28.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 21, District Attorney Greg Neugebauer spoke about the possibility of the Commonwealth seeking the death penalty against Giles.

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