Trial under way in Four Corners murder

Jury being chosen for case of man accused of slaying former girlfriend's new lover

December 6, 2005

MARY AMES\Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Jury selection began Monday in the Palmer Superior Court murder trial of a man accused of breaking into a Four Corners home and fatally shooting his former girlfriend's new lover as the couple laid in bed.

Eugene C. Gordon Jr., 41, forced open a garage door of Jesus &#8220Jesse” Manglona's Rae Lane home in the early morning hours of Dec. 14, 2004 and shot Manglona, 51, in the face with a .357-caliber Magnum revolver, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Gordon's former girlfriend, Laurie Welsh, and Manglona had been dating for a few weeks and were in bed at the time of the shooting, troopers said. Welsh told investigators she awoke to the sound of a gunshot and what felt like sand being thrown across her face, troopers stated.

Welsh told investigators she saw Gordon standing at the foot of the bed, waving a silver handgun at her and at Manglona, saying, &#8220You're both going to die,” the report stated.

Manglona's 13-year-old son, who was asleep in his bedroom directly below his father's, awoke to the sound of a loud bang and heard screaming upstairs and Gordon arguing with Welsh, according to the report.

The youth, afraid for his life, called family members on a cell phone and stayed in his room until they arrived at the house, the report said.

When troopers arrived at the Manglona home at about 5:30 a.m., they found Gordon sitting inside his Ford pickup, which was stuck in the snow, with the gun to his head, threatening to kill himself, according to troopers. Investigators negotiated with Gordon, who registered a breath -alcohol level of .088 at just before 7 a.m. A person with an alcohol level of .08 is considered legally drunk in the state of Alaska.

Welsh told troopers she had struggled over the gun with Gordon, heard the gun making a clicking sound during their struggle, and managed to throw the gun across the room and get out, according to troopers.

Gordon told troopers he had been drinking, was still drunk, and was sorry and just wanted to scare his friend and former girlfriend, according to troopers. After telling troopers he wanted to wait for a lawyer, he said this was all because of losing the woman he loved, the report said.

Gordon is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, manslaughter and third-degree assault.

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.