VA - Youth Pastor kills family on Thanksgiving, Chester, 24 Nov 2017

[rsd1200]

I think he fell off the wagon. He already had a history with alcohol, abusive behaviour, both along with LE being called, and that's not good. I've seen so many folks get that get that swollen face look from alcohol abuse. Possibly got lit, and then got angry about something. I've seen it before. Some drunks get easily ticked off, over the tiniest things. You get a mean/angry drunk and they're hard to handle. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing alcohol might have been a factor.

 

[Jennifer17]

I think he fell off the wagon. He already had a history with alcohol, abusive behaviour, both along with LE being called, and that's not good. I've seen so many folks get that get that swollen face look from alcohol abuse. Possibly got lit, and then got angry about something. I've seen it before. Some drunks get easily ticked off, over the tiniest things. You get a mean/angry drunk and they're hard to handle. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing alcohol might have been a factor.

You know, I drink some alcohol every evening and I have never wanted to kill anyone. But then, I am not a faux Christian trying to tell everyone else how to live their lives.

 

[rsd1200]

You know, I drink some alcohol every evening and I have never wanted to kill anyone. But then, I am not a faux Christian trying to tell everyone else how to live their lives.

I drink occasionally too, but I'm not a mean alcoholic/drunk. I've been around them. They are not fun. Especially if you know a firearm or knife is nearby. Christian or not, you are still an alcoholic for the rest of your life. An alcoholic can not drink. Period.

With his background though, he should not have been in a position in the church. Big fail in church screening there.

 

[Knox]

Apparently whomever hired Gattis failed to do a background check.......Or didn't care about his past record. Smdh.

I find that hard to believe. My husband and I teach in Children's Church, we had to undergo a criminal background check. Even though Gattis wasn't convicted, the charges still appear. I'll be curious to learn how he was selected to work with the youth at his Church.

 

[rsd1200]

Lovely house, people who looked ‘normal’ and happy, but now 3 are tragically dead at the hand of a man who ministered to teens. There can be no logical explanation for such a horror, but the holidays do bring out the worst in folks sometimes. My speculation is an argument that got way out of hand, with a weapon available, and a person seriously unhinged. So so sad for those that knew and loved these folks. What a terrible loss.

They all four lived together though but a holiday argument wouldn't be out of the ordinary. It is stressful with two couples, one your adult child, and their s/o, living in the same household. Your own kid moves back in, and that's not so bad, but if they bring in their s/o, you have to be a little more careful of what you say, you can't get up in the night and wander down to the kitchen for a snack, in your skivvies, and such. Not being able to be as laid back in your own home, is a lil annoying. Your finances feel the pinch too. Electricity goes up, food bills go up, water bill goes up. Youth pastoring doesn't typically pay that well either unless it was a big church. However, during the entire time, that my kid and their s/o was living here, and it was a bit stressful at times, I never once felt like murdering any one of my family members.

 

[ScHoLaR oF STuFF]

For a moment nevermind the boozing,brawling,and assualt charges...

Gattis lives 9 comfy 'child-free' years with his wife in roomy house happy as a clam then her 30 year old tattooed daughter and boyfriend lay roots in spare bedroom suitcases, noise, junk and all.
If that doesn't smell of Dr. Phil episode with Robin's face plumping serum adverts, then i don't know what.

What's worse he kills them, gets his mug shot, and looks like
'Yup! i killed them all.'

I hate him already!

I hope his wife didn't suffer 9 years with him.
Did she sleep next to him nine years and waking up each day nine years discovering he was still a stranger. Some women experience that disadvantage.

Its what happens......when you marry..a psychopath.

They blend in multitude of relationships and situations, the way light and dusk blend into rooms and days..

That Gallis drifted in two short years from boozer and brawler into bible preacher of youth effortlessly is the making of a miracle of god, or worse, a mirage of a chameleon psychopath

 

[ScHoLaR oF STuFF]

They all four lived together though but a holiday argument wouldn't be out of the ordinary. It is stressful with two couples, one your adult child, and their s/o, living in the same household. Your own kid moves back in, and that's not so bad, but if they bring in their s/o, you have to be a little more careful of what you say, you can't get up in the night and wander down to the kitchen for a snack, in your skivvies, and such. Not being able to be as laid back in your own home, is a lil annoying. Your finances feel the pinch too. Electricity goes up, food bills go up, water bill goes up. Youth pastoring doesn't typically pay that well either unless it was a big church. However, during the entire time, that my kid and their s/o was living here, and it was a bit stressful at times, I never once felt like murdering any one of my family members.

Gallis had bit of money...

Not only was he a 'preacher' of God, he somewhat made like Jesus the son of God and was into furniture, selling it that is. But unlike the former the latter was a silver foxed DeViL with ticket to H---

 

[Jennifer17]

Gallis had bit of money...

Not only was he a 'preacher' of God, he somewhat made like Jesus the son of God and was into furniture, selling it that is. But unlike the former the latter was a silver foxed DeViL with ticket to H---

Yes, but he moved into her house. The house that was her daughters home. Your home is always where your mum is.

 

[kaen]

This is so sad and horrifying. How could he be a youth minister with arrests for alcohol? This poor family is decimated.

 

[ScHoLaR oF STuFF]

Yes, but he moved into her house. The house that was her daughters home. Your home is always where your mum is.

you sure..cause nieghbors on their street reporting Gallis' family only moved into that house just two years ago.

Was it in her name to as a precaution to business bankruptcy ? (so the house couldnt be gobbled up as a asset, a smart business precaution

http://www.richmond.com/news/local/chesterfield/update-i-looked-at-that-body-all-night-neighbor-says/article_534af44f-aa23-5a7c-9bdd-092b645736b9.html

 

[rsd1200]

Gallis had bit of money...

Not only was he a 'preacher' of God, he somewhat made like Jesus the son of God and was into furniture, selling it that is. But unlike the former the latter was a silver foxed DeViL with ticket to H---

Most Youth Pastors and some Pastors have other jobs. They just can't make it on a pastor's salary (at least not around here). Money or not, it can be stressful, to have your adult child come rolling back home, dragging a bf or gf, home with them. Been there. We worked through it but it took patience and ground rules, and going back over the ground rules, as needed. Never again unless it is another emergency circumstance. Your child is one thing. A person you do not know well, is another.

Idk what made him go plumb off, but I've a feeling the fuse got lit shortly after the adult step-daughter, and friend, moved in. I think like op said, nine years and then BAM, he's got these extra folks in there. Just a guess, but he probably began to dislike them, soon after they moved in. He didn't want to spend his money to put a roof over them, or feed them, or have to put on sweats when he got up in the middle of the night to get a snack from the fridge, and it kept building til he literally despised them. Then, he possibly started drinking again,(that would be something that could cause an alcoholic to start again), then, something happened on Thanksgiving, it could have just been something small, the proverbial straw, and he just unleashed all of that hate on them.

I don't get the same vibe off of his mug shot that others do. I see more of a resigned look. I think that he'd thought about/fantasized about killing them every time they got on his nerves, but he hadn't. He'd restrained himself. That day, he did it. He looks as if he's resigned himself to his fate.

 

[rsd1200]

Yes, but he moved into her house. The house that was her daughters home. Your home is always where your mum is.

That would have ticked him off even more. No way would he be able to get her to kick her daughter out of the home (well, most moms, anyway). He may have laid down an ultimatum and it backfired, so he put down his own ultimatum.

 

[Satch]

Horrifying case! At a loss for words,

This brings back a horrific memory of a case I used to follow in the now defunct town of Walcott, Kansas, where in 1958, college student Lowell Lee Andrews shot and killed his entire family over Thanksgiving break. Everyone described him as a kind a gentle soul, but prosecutors investigated and found that he had a fascination with guns, and fantasized about killing his family to inherit the Andrews' family estate. He never displayed remorse for his crimes and was executed by hanging in 1962. Lowell Lee's case is here:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...cott-28-Nov-1958&highlight=Lowell+Lee+Andrews

Satch

 

[Elley Mae]

Some photos

http://wric.com/2017/11/24/chesterfield-youth-pastor-charged-in-thanksgiving-day-triple-homicide/

http://wtvr.com/2017/11/24/friends-express-shock-after-youth-pastor-accused-of-murdering-family/

 

[kirkassoc]

I didn't say anything about you justifying it or condoning it. I meant he uses it as an excuse. And possibly others excuse or defend his behavior as "That's just how he is when he drinks."

Why We Can't Blame Abuse on Alcohol
Dispelling the common myth that batterers abuse because they’re drunk, and will stop when sober

Thanks so much, Blue! Good article! My dad went to his grave with his "compounded misery." He was hateful and short-tempered when sober. Add alcohol and we had a hateful, short-tempered grenade, just waiting for someone to detonate.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. :loveyou:

 

[Inthedetails]

Gallis had bit of money...

Not only was he a 'preacher' of God, he somewhat made like Jesus the son of God and was into furniture, selling it that is. But unlike the former the latter was a silver foxed DeViL with ticket to H---

He wasn't a preacher.

"C. Gattis was an active member at Grace Lutheran Church, where he served as a middle school and high school youth ministries coordinator."

People are referring to him as a pastor, but I don't think he was an ordained pastor. Just because he had a job in youth ministry doesn't make him a minister. It looks like he held the job of managing the youth programs at the church rather than being an actual pastor. To some this distinction might not matter, but I see a difference. Being a pastor is no easy thing to do within the Lutheran church - you can't just call yourself a pastor, but have to be educated and ordained and then called to a church to serve. So far, I haven't seen reporting that he did all that, though correct me if I am wrong.

Rather, I think he was an active member of the congregation and when this job of coordinating the youth programs was available, he filled it. My hunch is he was a member of the church before he was hired, though that is a hunch not a fact.

Link for the quote above; http://wric.com/2017/11/24/chesterfield-youth-pastor-charged-in-thanksgiving-day-triple-homicide/

jmopinion

 

[Elainera]

Can't help but notice, the section "Similar Threads" underneath this thread features four cases involving youth pastors, three of them regarding sexual offenses (rape, molestation, and child ).

 

[Inthedetails]

Can't help but notice, the section "Similar Threads" underneath this thread features four cases involving youth pastors, three of them regarding sexual offenses (rape, molestation, and child ).

Adults interested in sex crimes against young people often seek out employment that puts them with young people and in positions of trust....youth pastor, coach, teacher. I don't think "pastor" stands out as much as "working with children" stands out.

In this particular case, the crime wasn't against the students....though I consider them victims as well. He betrayed their trust with his actions and the damage could be deep for some of them....that makes me sad and mad beyond the usual sad and mad in a crime case.

I don't think this particular perp took the job so he could exploit children. I could be wrong - but from what we know at this point, I don't think so. I think his rage was at his family for reasons we don't know yet.

jmopinion

 

[ScHoLaR oF STuFF]

Idk what made him go plumb off, but I've a feeling the fuse got lit shortly after the adult step-daughter, and friend, moved in. I think like op said, nine years and then BAM, he's got these extra folks in there. Just a guess, but he probably began to dislike them, soon after they moved in. He didn't want to spend his money to put a roof over them, or feed them, or have to put on sweats when he got up in the middle of the night to get a snack from the fridge, and it kept building til he literally despised them. Then, he possibly started drinking again....

VERY plausible theories....then again a different story may unfold when investigators get into the text/emails between mother and daughter, especially if there existed a close bond between the women.
If Mom has any complaints about her life with him she l may have confided details to her daughter.
For all we know there could be a reason her daughter planted herself back in mom's life.

one thing i've learned since the birth of the web is smiling wife doesn't always mean happy life.

 

[Inthedetails]

VERY plausible theories....then again a different story may unfold when investigators get into the text/emails between mother and daughter, especially if there existed a close bond between the women.
If Mom has any complaints about her life with him she l may have confided details to her daughter.
For all we know there could be a reason her daughter planted herself back in mom's life.

one thing i've learned since the birth of the web is smiling wife doesn't always mean happy life.

My hunch at this point is the root cause is going to be financial. Financial stress mixed with alcohol. No facts to back that up, just a hunch.

jmopinion at the moment, subject to change