Bio

Michael Gilbert, 27, and his wife, Jennifer, 25, married in 1997 at St. Benedict's Catholic Church in Suamico, Wisconsin, and had two young children, a daughter, Evangeline, 1, and a son, Ivan, 2 months old. The couple had purchased their first home together, a two-story house in a quiet, tree-lined Green Bay neighborhood, about a year and a half before the tragedy. Neighbors, relatives, and coworkers later described the family as having no history of domestic violence, living quietly, and giving no outward indication of any problems.

Murder Story

On the night of June 13, 1999, the couple engaged in a form of consensual sexual activity known as erotic or autoerotic asphyxiation, in which one partner restricts the other's oxygen intake, typically around the neck, to intensify sexual arousal. Investigators determined that Jennifer had consented to this activity and that Michael had not intended to kill her. She died of asphyxiation; police found no signs of a struggle, trauma, or bruising indicating resistance. A relative later said the family found some comfort in learning that Jennifer's death had not been the result of violence or threat, but had unfolded from what she described as "a loving act... a sexual act that just went wrong." Green Bay police officials, including Lieutenant Craig Van Schyndle, stated that under the circumstances, Michael likely would not have faced criminal charges for Jennifer's death, which would probably have been classified as second-degree reckless homicide at most.

According to relatives, Michael appeared to spend the hours after Jennifer's death contemplating what to do; a cousin of Jennifer's said he "touched the phone several times," suggesting he may have considered calling for help, but no one ever heard from him. The following day, June 14, 1999, Michael went to his children's rooms and strangled both Evangeline and Ivan.

Over the following day, Michael attempted to take his own life through multiple methods: he consumed alcohol and drugs found in the house, and ultimately went into the attached garage, started the family car, and remained inside; he was later found to have carbon monoxide poisoning combined with drugs and alcohol in his system, with no external injuries. When Michael failed to show up for work for two consecutive days, Jennifer's father, Randy Fameree, went to check on the family. Finding all the doors locked, he used a ladder to climb onto the roof and entered through an upstairs bedroom window. He discovered Michael's body in the garage, Jennifer's body in the living room, and the bodies of both children together in an upstairs bedroom. Police were called immediately.

Green Bay police, including Captain Bruce Tilkens, confirmed that none of the victims had been shot or stabbed. Investigators emphasized that had Michael and the children survived, he likely would not have faced intentional homicide charges in connection with Jennifer's death specifically, given the consensual nature of the activity that led to it. Relatives expressed grief and confusion rather than anger, with one stating, "We wish it hadn't happened. If only Michael had called for help after he realized Jenny was dead. He obviously lost it. But we don't feel any anger toward him." The case drew broader public attention to the dangers of erotic asphyxiation; University of Wisconsin-Madison psychology professor Dr. Janet Hyde noted at the time that the practice offers no proven physiological benefit beyond the psychological thrill of perceived danger, and that researchers estimate several hundred people die from the practice annually in the United States. A single funeral was held for all four family members at St. Benedict's Catholic Church, where Michael and Jennifer had been married two years earlier.