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AKRON, Ohio (DailyKenn.com) — A 38-year-old man remained in custody Monday after authorities accused him of stabbing and shooting his girlfriend to death during a heated argument in their Akron home, critically wounding her eldest son in the process.
Gregory Tillman faces charges of aggravated murder, felonious assault and possession of weapons under disability in the slaying of 44-year-old Rebecca Lee Guthrie, a devoted mother who worked three jobs to support her family. The attack unfolded around 2:10 a.m. on Nov. 29 in the 500 block of Miles Avenue, a quiet residential street on the city's east side, according to police reports and family statements.
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The confrontation began as a domestic dispute between Tillman and Guthrie, who had been in a relationship for five or six years and had discussed marriage. Witnesses and investigators described the escalation as sudden and savage. Tillman allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Guthrie multiple times in the living room as she fought back. As she staggered toward the door in a desperate bid to escape, Tillman retrieved a handgun and fired a single shot into her head, police said. Guthrie collapsed to the floor, bleeding profusely from her wounds, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:31 a.m. by medics.
Guthrie's 25-year-old son, Marquis Terrell, heard the commotion from upstairs and rushed down to intervene. He attempted to wrestle the gun away from Tillman, who then shot him in the face at close range. Terrell, who underwent surgery, was listed in stable condition Monday at Summa Akron City Hospital. Tillman briefly turned the weapon on an 18-year-old son hiding upstairs, but the gun clicked empty twice before he dropped it and fled on foot. Responding officers, alerted by reports of gunfire, encountered the younger son at the door. He frantically told them his mother and brother had been shot, guiding them inside to the horrific scene.
Tillman was apprehended blocks away without resistance and taken to the Akron Police Department for questioning. Detectives described the evidence as overwhelming, including the discarded firearm and Guthrie's bloodied clothing. "This was a senseless act of violence in what should have been a safe home," Akron Police Capt. Michael Miller said in a briefing. The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death a homicide, with autopsy results confirming multiple stab wounds and a fatal gunshot to the head.
Terrell, speaking to reporters from his hospital bed, recounted the chaos in disbelief. "It happened so fast. They argued sometimes, but nothing like this. She took care of him, paid all the bills — we were family," he said, his voice breaking. He described checking his phone daily, half-expecting a call from his mother, who was known in the neighborhood for her warmth and tireless work ethic at local retail and service jobs. "She was the strongest person I knew. Who does this to someone who gave everything?"
Neighbors on Miles Avenue expressed shock at the violence in their close-knit community. "Rebecca was always smiling, helping with the kids on the block. This shakes you to your core," said longtime resident Maria Gonzalez, 52, who organized a small vigil Sunday outside the now-cordoned-off home, where yellow police tape fluttered in the December chill. Community leaders called for increased resources for domestic violence survivors, noting Akron's rising reports of intimate partner homicides this year.
The case remains under investigation, with prosecutors expected to present evidence to a grand jury this week. Tillman's arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday in Summit County Common Pleas Court. Police urged anyone with information to contact the department's tip line.
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