Arizona man accused of sexually assaulting, torturing wife and son

A Kingman, Arizona, man who is alleged to have sexually assaulted and tortured his wife and her son over several days last week has been arrested.

Rusty Cooper, Kingman’s deputy police chief, said police began investigating Saturday upon learning that a 39-year-old woman was being treated at a local hospital.

Cooper said the woman told investigators that she and her 11-year-old son had been tied up by her husband, 69-year-old Jerry Gilligan. Cooper said the woman said Gilligan took pictures and made videos while he forced them to perform sexual acts upon each other and himself.

“Both victims reported torturous behavior to include battery acid being forcibly put into the victim’s eye, hands and feet, and being duct taped, mouths gagged and taped shut and being struck with a wooden stick,” Cooper said. “While they were bound by duct tape, Gilligan reportedly shaved the hair off both victim’s heads.”

Cooper said evidence supporting the victim’s allegations was found in their home in the 900 block of Center Street. Gilligan was booked into jail for two counts each of sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual conduct with a minor, aggravated assault, kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.

Cooper said investigators developed information suggesting that Gilligan sexually and physically abused both victims over a two-year period.