Firefighter found dead after double stabbing in Pacifica: What did Jason Gillenwater do?
Jason Gillenwater, a firefighter and paramedic implicated in a fatal Pacifica double stabbing, was discovered deceased with a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a confrontation with the police in Mendocino County on Thursday, December 21, 2023, according to ABC7.
Reported by Kron4, Jason Gillenwater, a 46-year-old firefighter from Colma, allegedly stabbed his ex-wife and her boyfriend at her Pacifica home on Thursday morning before fleeing the scene. The boyfriend was declared dead at the scene, and Gillenwater’s ex-wife was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries.
Police, who had been tracking Gillenwater since 8 a.m. on Thursday, found him deceased in Mendocino County inside his vehicle that afternoon. The Pacifica Police Department stated in a Facebook post:
“On December 21, 2023, at approximately 1:45 pm, The California Highway Patrol located the suspect vehicle in Mendocino County. The suspect, 46-year-old Jason Gillenwater, was found dead near his vehicle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
Before the stabbing incident, KGO reported that Jason Gillenwater had been arrested for domestic violence at his ex-wife’s home on December 14, leading to his suspension from paramedic duties the previous week.
Following the arrest, police obtained a gun violence emergency protective order, confiscated firearms and ammo from Gillenwater, and issued a restraining order preventing him from contacting his ex-wife or approaching her Pacifica residence.
Pacifica police detailed the December 14, 2023, incident in a Facebook post, stating officers responded to a domestic violence incident involving Gillenwater and his ex-wife at a residence on Naomi Avenue. He was arrested at the scene, booked at the San Mateo County jail, and subsequently released on bail.
On December 21, Gillenwater violated the restraining order, going to his ex-wife’s home and fatally stabbing her and her boyfriend. After the stabbing, he acquired a firearm in Colusa County and shot himself in Mendocino County.
Pacifica Police Department Chief Sarasua expressed condolences for the victim’s death, acknowledging the profound loss for the family and the Pacifica community. Residents shared that the woman stabbed was attempting to separate from Gillenwater, and the man killed was a friend who died while trying to help.
