Crimes
On August 12, 2013, Gilbert, who was 49 at the time, entered her roommate's room at the residence they shared in New Milford, Connecticut, with a hammer and attacked her. She then used a serrated knife to stab her roommate 208 times, all while the victim was still alive. Gilbert then decapitated her roommate and removed some of her internal organs, which she washed and cooked.
Gilbert ate some of the cooked organs and placed the rest in plastic bags and put them in the refrigerator. She also stored some of the organs in a plastic container in the freezer and put the roommate's head on a shelf.
Gilbert then called the police and told them that she had killed her roommate and that they would find her remains in the apartment. When the police arrived, they found Gilbert sitting on a couch in the apartment, drinking a can of beer and eating a bowl of cereal.
Trial and Sentence
Gilbert was charged with murder and was found mentally competent to stand trial. She waived her right to a jury trial and opted for a bench trial, in which the judge would decide the verdict.
In 2016, Gilbert was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Motive
Gilbert's motive for the murder is not entirely clear. During her trial, she testified that she had been experiencing mental health issues and had been hearing voices in her head that told her to kill her roommate. She also said that she had been sexually abused as a child and that the abuse had affected her mental health.
Background
Gilbert was born on January 12, 1965, in New Milford, Connecticut. She had a difficult childhood and was reportedly abused by her father. Gilbert also struggled with mental health issues and had been hospitalized several times for psychiatric treatment.
In the years leading up to the murder, Gilbert had been living in poverty and had been struggling with drug addiction. She had also been evicted from several apartments due to her erratic behavior.
Impact of the Case
The case of Lori Anne Gilbert shocked and horrified the community of New Milford and Connecticut as a whole. The brutality of the crime and the fact that Gilbert had cannibalized her roommate led to widespread media coverage and public outrage.
The case also raised questions about the adequacy of mental health services and the need for better support for people with mental illness.
References
* [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lori_Ann_Gilbert)
* [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/25/nyregion/lori-ann-gilbert-sentenced-to-life-in-murder-and-cannibalism-case.html)
* [The Hartford Courant](https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2016-05-24-hc-lori-ann-gilbert-sentencing-20160524-story.html)