1 year later, Paradise Valley murder remains a mystery
It was a year ago Wednesday when Michael Gilman was found with more than 50 stab wounds in his Paradise Valley home.
As the anniversary of Gilman's death approaches, Paradise Valley investigators are continuing to seek answers in one of the town's rare homicides- and the only one in the last decade without an identified suspect.
Officers responded to a call on April 29, 2014 after the 68-year-old man's personal assistant found him dead in his home. Police later declared it a homicide after an autopsy concluded that he had been stabbed more than 50 times.
Gilman was either stabbed with one or more implements other than a knife, such as scissors, or in combination with a knife and another object, according to officials.
Evidence shows that there were at least two suspects who entered the home near the 5400 block of East Lincoln Drive and that the suspects stole his vehicle to flee the posh gated community, officials said.
Investigators saw Gilman's car recorded by speed enforcement cameras in Scottsdale and a second car, believed to be the murderer's, followed close behind.
About eight minutes, later both vehicles can be seen traveling eastbound on Shea Boulevard at 90th Street.
Gilman's vehicle was later discovered engulfed in flames, officials said.
Gilman was an enigma to neighbors who said he split his time between his Paradise Valley home and Los Angeles. They initially told reporters he mostly kept to himself.
According to state records, Gilman was the president and CEO of two firms at one time in the 1990s —United Capital Planners Inc. in Scottsdale and United Arizona Holdings Corp., both of which are no longer business, according to the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Homicides in Paradise Valley are rare, relative to the rest of the Valley.
Gilman's murder was the first of 2014. There were none in 2013, according to police.
The last homicide case involved two victims and occurred in January 2012. Lawrence Shapiro, 79, and Glenna Shapiro, 77, were bound and shot in their home. Their house was then set on fire.
And prominent Paradise Valley physician was killed in 2010 by a man who police said was under the influence of drugs at the time. Patrick Nissley was convicted of manslaughter in Dr. Richard Pavese's death and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.