The Murders of Jesse Giles and Nancy Billiter
For this case I watched an episode of Diabolical. It’s season 3 episode 8, titled ‘Caught in the Cover-up.’
Two people are killed just a few months apart.
Background
Okay, so for this case I’m going to give the backgrounds of each person as the story goes on. There are a lot of people involved in this case, and they are all connected.
Jesse and Carol Giles
Carol Giles was a 27 year old nurse, who worked at St. Joesph Mercy Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan.
Carol met a man at work named Tim Collier, who had just moved there from California. The two were smitten with each other, and began an affair. Carol was married to Jesse, a 41 year old. The two of them had four children, two were Jesse’s from a previous relationship, and the younger two were theirs.
Jesse was described as a good father, and a good provider. Jesse had some medical issues, he was around 400 pounds and had diabetes. One day he had a stroke, and lost feeling in his left arm. Carol had to take care of him, and it pushed her further away. Carol began to go out more, and was taking secret phone calls. Jessie told Carol to leave, but that he was going to keep the children. Carol told him that her relationship with Tim was over, and Jesse believed her.
Jesse and his daughter Temika
Jesse’s Death
On September 28, 1997, Carol called the West Broomfield police. She said she had just returned home from shopping, and that her husband wasn’t breathing. The dispatcher walked her through CPR, but it was too late.
Jesse’s death was immediately ruled as death by natural causes. Jesse’s daughter Temika knew that her dad had medical issues, but she believed someone had done something to her dad. The police didn’t believe her, and the case was closed.
Nancy Billiter
After Jesse died, Carol told her friends and family. One of those friends was a woman named Nancy Billiter, who had been friends with both Carol and Jesse. Nancy was also well known to all their children, and they described her as a very sweet, kind person.
Nancy Billiter
Carol was going to school to become a nurse, and worked at a restaurant called South Boulevard Station, to make ends meet. She met Carol at the restaurant, and they bonded over mystery novels because Carol would come into the restaurant and read.
After Jessie died, Carol turned to Nancy for help. Nancy decided to move in with Carol to help with the kids. After Nancy moved in, the kids saw less of Carol, and she began to change.
In October 1997, Carol announced to everyone that Tim was moving in. Tim eventually started wearing Jesse’s jewelry and driving his truck. This made Nancy and the kids very uncomfortable. Tim and Nancy didn’t get along, and soon it was about to get worse.
An Uncomfortable Situation
Tim was very arrogant, and thought that everyone wanted him. He became jealous of Carol’s friendship with Nancy, and wanted them to become a threesome. Nancy said no many times, and said she was living there still to be with the kids.
In November 1997, Tim took Carol to meet his family in California. While they were gone, Nancy called them to tell them that someone had broken in to steal the VCR. Tim immediately accused Nancy of doing it.
On November 12, Tim and Carol returned home early from their trip. This was the last time anyone would see or hear from Nancy.
A Horrific Murder
On November 14, a fisherman called the police. He said he found a body on an access road in Flint, Michigan. He said he knew it was a person because he saw a foot sticking out of a blanket.
The police arrived, and determined it was a white female. She had been wrapped in a floral print comforter. She had been severely beaten in the face, and there were several circular marks on her body. There was a smell of gasoline, someone had tried to burn the body, but failed.
Nancy was identified by her boss. The police had shown him some pictures, and she had been wearing a South Boulevard Station shirt. He said Nancy hadn’t shown up for work in a few days, and no one had heard from her in about 48 hours. He told the police that Nancy had been staying with Carol Giles.
The police arrived at Carol’s, and asked her when she last saw Nancy. Carol said she last saw her on November 11. The police knew that this was false, and Carol said she might have seen her on November 13.
The police noticed Carol’s strange demeanor right away. They asked her if they could search her home, and she said yes. Inside the home, the police found a matching floral sheet and several syringes. The police asked Carol to come down to the station.
A Shocking Revelation
During the interview, Carol was very cooperative. She told the police that she came home to find Nancy and Tim arguing in the basement, about the stolen VCR. She said Tim had Nancy tied to the bed with nylons, and was beating her. She said he continued to beat her, and covered her face with a towel soaked in bleach. Carol said Tim pointed a gun at her, and told her to go back upstairs.
Carol said a few minutes later, Tim came upstairs and told her that he knows Nancy stole the items. Carol said she knew Nancy was dead, and was afraid she’d be next.
A warrant was obtained to search the home. A gun was found, as well as a blood soaked mattress.
Tim Collier was arrested around 4am on November 15. During his interrogation he didn’t say much, but denied killing Nancy. The police told Tim that Carol had told them that he did. Tim said he wanted to hear Carol say that at trial.
Later on that day, Tim discovered that Carol hadn’t been in jail. He said she should be in jail because she was a willing participant in Nancy’s death and killed her husband.
Two Murders
Tim told the police that a few months earlier, Carol told him that she had a friend that wanted her husband dead, and that she wanted to make it look like he died of natural causes. Tim suggested putting heroin in his insulin.
He obviously knew Carol was talking about Jesse. He got her the heroin, and told her how to mix it with the insulin and inject it. Sadly, Jesse died a slow, painful death, and it was made to look like a heart attack.
The police called Temika, and asked her if they could exhume Jesse’s body. She said yes, she wanted justice for her dad. Jesse’s body was exhumed on November 25, 1997. Sure enough, the testing confirmed that he had been inject with heroin.
Carol and Tim were both arrested. When Carol was confronted, she began crying, and said “I can’t believe I killed Jesse.”
Carol Giles and Tim Collier
Convictions
During the investigation, it was revealed that Tim and Carol killed Nancy because they believed Nancy overheard Carol say that she killed Jessie. Carol and Tim had been on the phone while he was away in California, and they became obsessed with what Nancy knew.
Tim and Carol planned everything. They attacked Nancy when she came home on that November day, and terrorized her. Tim beat her, and had Carol inject her with battery acid. Nancy’s cause of death was revealed to be asphyxia, she had choked on her own blood. They then disposed of Carol’s body while the kids were at school.
Carol and Tim were both charged with the first degree murders of Jesse and Nancy. They were tried together, but with separate juries. Carol testified and admitted to everything.
They were both sentenced to two consecutive life terms, without the possibility of parole.
Carol’s daughter Jesseca said she still loves her mom, but wishes that Carol thought about her and her brother before she did what she did.
FINAL THOUGHTS
These two people are complete monsters. I don’t believe Carol was afraid of Tim at all. I think it was her idea to kill Jesse, and that it was Tim’s idea to kill Nancy. They are both twisted individuals, and unfortunately, two innocent people lost their lives. I feel the worst for the victims obviously, and for their loved ones. I can’t imagine what it was like for Carol and Jessie’s kids to hear about what their mom did. They deserve to rot in prison forever.
Sources
https://thecinemaholic.com/nancy-billiters-murder-where-are-carol-giles-and-tim-collier-now/
https://www.oxygen.com/killer-couples/crime-news/carol-giles-tim-collier-guilty-michigan-murders
