Sequatchie County murder suspects back in court as Lewis Chapel residents await bond decision

David Gardiner at a hearing Friday in Sequatchie County. He is charged with criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse in the killing of his wife Silvia Vilchez in Lewis Chapel. His son in law Gabriel Vilchez is charged as well.

DUNLAP, Tenn. (WDEF)- The husband and son charged in the murder of a Sequatchie County woman were back in court Friday morning.

18-year-old Gabriel Vilchez and 64 year old David Gardiner are charged with criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse in the murder of 50 year old Silvia Vilchez.

A Sequatchie County affidavit states that the son confessed to beating his mother to death with a baseball bat while his stepfather watched at their Lewis Chapel home.

They then left her body in the woods outside of their home.

Today, the question of whether or not Gardiner would be represented by a public defender was answered, as he will be.

However, the issue of a bond will be settled at the preliminary hearing, something Lewis Chapel residents say they do not want to see.

One of their county commissioners, Chester Shell, says he is keeping a close eye on the case.

Shell said, “The constituents in my area in the first district on Lewis Chapel Mountain, they would have some serious issues if something like that comes back into the neighborhood, they would fear for their lives…That young guy is not stable to be around kids or basically nobody the way it looks.”

Shell also added of Gardiner that, “I knew the dad and we’d work some with him and he seemed a little quiet. Never heard anything bad about him, but it goes to show that sometimes not everything is as it seems.”

The preliminary hearing in this case will be held next month.