Prosecution states its case in murder trial

December 9, 2005

MARY AMES/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - The last thing Laurie Welsh said she remembered about her final moments with Jesse Manglona was that they said they loved each other, then fell asleep, curled together on their left sides.

The next thing Welsh remembered about the early hours of Dec. 14, 2004, was a loud bang.

&#8220I was confused,” Welsh said. &#8220I couldn't hear anything, but I caught a movement at the foot of the bed. I knew it was him.”

Welsh testified Thursday in the Palmer Superior Court murder trial of Eugene Gordon, 41, the man she said she saw that morning at the foot of the bed, waving a gun from Manglona to her and back again, saying, &#8220I killed him, and you both deserve to die.”

Prosecution and defense attorneys agree that Gordon broke in the door, fatally shot Manglona, couldn't escape once he left the house, and that he shot a hole in the roof of his truck as he held Alaska State Troopers at bay while threatening to kill himself.

The prosecution rested its case Thursday contending that Gordon knew what he was doing and intended to kill Manglona.

Gordon's defense will be presented Monday.

Witnesses for the defense were scheduled at the beginning of the trial for Monday, Public Defender Diane Foster told the court, and she asked the trial be continued until then.

Superior Court Judge Eric Smith granted the request.

At the time of his arrest, Gordon said he only meant to scare the couple, according to a trooper report. He had been drinking, and couldn't get over the breakup of his relationship with Welsh, the report said.

Manglona's 14-year-old son was in the bedroom directly below his father's room. He testified that he woke to the shot and heard loud voices arguing that night. He called his sister on his cell phone and stayed in his room until she arrived.

Welsh said when she first awoke and realized Gordon was at the foot of the bed, she was glad Manglona hadn't said anything.

&#8220I thought, ‘Thank God Jesse hasn't said anything, because whatever he says will just make (Gordon) mad.' Then I looked at Jesse and I saw him with the blood filling up on the pillow under his head and I knew he was dead.”

Welsh testified Gordon continued to threaten to kill her during a struggle in the upstairs bedroom that lasted about 45 minutes. She said she was afraid if she ran, Gordon would shoot her in the back. She was also afraid for Manglona's son.

&#8220I was not going to leave that child in the house with the man who killed his father,” Welsh said. &#8220I thought I had to talk my way out of this for both of us. It was my only chance. To survive, to keep him from killing me, to get him to back off of me, I said, ‘You didn't mean to do this. Just run and I won't tell.'”

Gordon put the silver Taurus .357 Magnum up to Welsh's head and again said she deserved to die.

&#8220I was so scared, I was waiting for the bullet,” she said. &#8220The gun was cocked, and I put my thumb under the hammer. I didn't intend to, but I held on with everything I had.”

Gordon fled to his truck, which was stuck in the snow, shortly after troopers arrived. He made calls from his cell phone, one to Welsh telling her to, &#8220Get your ass out here and watch me kill myself.” But the bullet he fired went through the roof of the Ford Ranger, and Gordon surrendered shortly afterward.

Gordon faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, manslaughter and third-degree assault.

Welsh said her brain no longer works as well as it once did. &#8220I have flashbacks. A loud noise, a flash of light takes me right back there,” she said. &#8220After a year of counseling, I stutter, I forget things from minute to minute, and I have bloody nightmares and violent dreams.”

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.