Thomas Gilbert Jr.’s First Prison Interview

In his first prison interview, Thomas Gilbert Jr., who is known for having shot his father in Manhattan over a decade ago due to a reduced allowance, revealed a surprising appearance. Sporting a messy beard and long hair, he also had a notably unpleasant odor.

Despite pleading not guilty to the 2015 murder of his father, Thomas Sr., in their Beekman Place home, he’s been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the crime. During the interview, he mentioned to Court TV’s David Scott that the narrative of a “golden boy” gone astray omits significant aspects of the case.

When discussing his upbringing, he described it as “very good and pretty healthy for the most part.” Yet, he seemed hesitant and had difficulty responding to questions about both his upbringing and the murder. He did, however, affirm his innocence when asked.

On January 4, 2015, after his allowance was cut—previously $800 down to $300—Gilbert, 30 years old and unemployed, visited his parents and allegedly struck his father in the head. Following a brief errand, his mother returned to discover her husband dead in a pool of blood, leading her to call for help and claim her son was responsible.

In a distraught moment, she remarked, “My son is crazy, but I didn’t know he was crazy,” as captured in the 911 call.

Gilbert had a privileged lifestyle, attending elite prep schools like Deerfield and Buckley, enjoying summers in the Hamptons, and traveling luxuriously—everything financed by his parents. At his trial in 2019, his defense posited that he suffered from mental health issues, including schizophrenia, suggesting that paranoia rather than greed motivated his actions. Despite hopes for leniency from his mother, he received a firm sentence of 30 years to life in prison.