I am wondering if anyone knows the name of the Oregon police officer who was featured on episode 152 (10/23/91) of Un. Mys. He was in the episode and claimed his son was abducted. An update at the end of the segment indicated he was later convicted of the crime after his young daughter told police he beat his boy to death. I would like to read more about this case but need the name or more details. Thanks.

Yes, the police officer's name was Larry Gibson. It happened in 1991 in Azalea or Azalea County (I think), Oregon. The son's name was Tommy Gibson. The reason I know so many details is I've been trying to find info about this case as well. The update was mindblowing! How the wife (now estranged) and daughter had changed their stories and how he was convicted of killing his son and sentenced to only 3 years! So, of course, he is out now. I've searched everywhere I can think of and found one vague articles that basically just said the Sheriff was suspicious of him from the beginning because soon after his son went missing the dad was playing with his band like nothing had happened. Then I found some website advertising a company that specialized in search dogs, specifically near bodies of water and they listed this case as one of them they contributed to but didn't go into detail about it. So needless to say, I would appreciate you sharing any information that you find about this case. I think it would be interesting to read the transcripts of this case to see also what the wife and daughters stories were but I don't where you would go or if it is even possible. Also remember the note that was sent to the Sheriff's Dept. that was signed "Spot in the Road"? I would be interested to know what was in that letter for UM didn't say. Let me know if you have any luck in your research!:)

he was sent to jail and got released in 96

he still claims hes innocent

This was the case where the police believed the suspect had killed his son when tried to shot a cat? I dont remember names but in that case the father was a cop and declared his son was abducted too. If its the same case id like to know if the child was accidentally shot or was beaten to death.

Well according to the update his daughter said he saw him hit the boy and the boy went limp. Maybe he shot at the cat later to confuse the investigation - they would be confused as to why there was no blood if the boy was shot when all the while there was another cause of death. Or maybe the shot was just a shot at a cat. Blackout - do you have any more info?

hey crystal - do you check the e-mail you have listed on here? I sent you some info.

Yes, thanks for the email! I'm really suprised that Larry Gibson actually emailed you about the case. I personally think he killed his son and after looking at his websites about his son and the fact that he's a singer, I hope he's not using his son's disappearance and death to help further his singing career.

I don't think so. I'm sure if he did do it it was a mistake, but he should have just admitted it. Still amazing.

im hooked, do you know some links about Larry Gibson? if you do please post them here.

Check these out. This one certainly does hold your interest.

http://www.computerfighter.com/tommy.htm

http://www.cowboyentertainer.com/larry.html

I'm sorry for saying this, but that guy is a creep.

Well the guy was convicted of killing his son so don't be sorry to call him a creep. You could say much worse.

I'm not sure that 2nd. link is this guy b/c it showed an older cowboy from Montana??? Anyway, the first link was awful to see that cute lil' boy (age 2 1/2) and then to see his age enhanced was so sad.

That is him - it has his name there. That is the accused guy Gibson. Im sure he moved out there to get away since his family apparently testified against him.

I know this is an old thread but I haven't seen this UM epi in a long time. I tried to do a google search and didn't come up with much. But I did go on that search dog web page that crystaldawn was talking about and I emailed them asking if their dogs found his body. Here's his reply:
My dog at the time "Ranger" indicated tommy died in
the kitchen. Tommy's sister yelled out in front of
Larry Tommy's father and his mother that "her daddy
(Larry) had hurt her brother really bad". Of course
the detective and I were very interested in her words
but his attorny shut her up really quick.

My search dog also found where he buried tommy's
clothing on larry's property.

All we know is that he Larry was convicted. We know he
put Tommy's remains inside the trunk of a patrol car
in a garbage bag and to my knowledge they never ever
did find the remains.

Good Lord. That email is very disturbing. This guy should be rotting in prison right now!

Case was on today(I had seen it before though). I just wonder why the wife/daughter changed their story so many years after the fact and where exactly is the body???

Good question!

I received another email from him:


his wife and child (daughter) finally got tired of the
mental emotional and physical abuse and turned states
evidence against him. He served ONE Year in jail for
the murder of his son tommy.

I hope he rots in hell.
best wishes.
h

This case continues to fascinate.

Thanks for the additional info "The Barbs"! I thought it was very interesting. I think the whole scenario they laid out in the segment was just made up by the whole family. The daughter (and search dogs) think he was killed in the kitchen. Where was the mother when it happened? The police at first seemed to think he accidentally shot him on his run instead of it being on purpose. The whole scene with the mom in the living room and Tommy playing out in the yard when he went missing probably never happened. I didn't know they had found Tommy's clothes buried. I also can't believe that slime only had to spend one year in jail for killing his son! :mad:

I'm no expert in the legal system but I can't help but scratch my head over Larry only spending 1 year in jail. How on earth can you kill a child and only spend one year in jail?

Simple question to everyone - was it just me or did Larry seem guilty as sin while being interviewed for this segment? Especially the part at the end where he kept saying that there's no evidence that his little girl is lying? Guilty, guilty, guilty!!!

I'm no expert in the legal system but I can't help but scratch my head over Larry only spending 1 year in jail. How on earth can you kill a child and only spend one year in jail?

I'm just guessing, but he may have been convicted of a lesser charge because they didn't have a body, or they may have had a hard time proving criminal intent/premeditation. Still, he's a total bastard. Ugh.

Thanks for the additional info "The Barbs"! I thought it was very interesting. I think the whole scenario they laid out in the segment was just made up by the whole family. The daughter (and search dogs) think he was killed in the kitchen. Where was the mother when it happened? The police at first seemed to think he accidentally shot him on his run instead of it being on purpose. The whole scene with the mom in the living room and Tommy playing out in the yard when he went missing probably never happened. I didn't know they had found Tommy's clothes buried. I also can't believe that slime only had to spend one year in jail for killing his son! :mad:



I know, the whole scenario about the killing in the kitchen would seem to implicate his wife as well. It sounds like the police approached her and made a deal not to prosecute her, if she testified against her husband, but the whole thing is bizarre. Larry getting just a year in jail for murdering his son is outrageous! Hes out traveling with this so called band like nothing ever happened, still holding onto the abduction story. :mad:

According to UM, he was convicted of 2nd degree manslaughter. Not exactly the most hefty charge. I'm not sure, but he probably had 4-5 years and he paroled out for good behavior or something. It's still sick to think that this guy not only murdered his son, but he blatantly lied about it, including lying to the UM crew. He is probably a guy who stores his emotions, and Tommy might have set him off; maybe Tommy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm not sure about specifics. Just a sad case indeed.

Supposedly he hit Tommy for playing out of bounds. Sometimes guys don't know their own strength, so it could have been an accident that he killed him. Karen also said a heavy object was in the sack with Tommy, indicating he may have hit him with something. Then not to even tell where the body was, so no closure for mother and daughter. So sad! :(

According to UM, he was convicted of 2nd degree manslaughter. Not exactly the most hefty charge. I'm not sure, but he probably had 4-5 years and he paroled out for good behavior or something. It's still sick to think that this guy not only murdered his son, but he blatantly lied about it, including lying to the UM crew. He is probably a guy who stores his emotions, and Tommy might have set him off; maybe Tommy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm not sure about specifics. Just a sad case indeed.
The segment said he was sentenced to 3 years and I guess he only did one. This is just another case like the Laura Burbank murder that just shows how weak the law is in the Pacific Northwest area of the country. Also, the guy was a cop, so they seemed to be very lenient on him in this case.

Yes, the cops were all ready to go with accidental shooting when it was in fact murder by child abuse. Sounds like Karen spoke up pretty early on, and the mother seemed rather half-hearted in her defense of Larry.

Larry is insanely guilty....a complete shame that the evidence didn't support a REAL conviction/sentence

A terrible shame the body has never been found.