Gloversville man found not fit to stand trial

JOHNSTOWN, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A Gloversville man was found not fit to stand trial by a judge on Monday afternoon in Fulton County Court. It stems from a 2022 Johnstown killing of a 77-year-old man. 

At Monday’s court hearing it was up to the judge to determine whether defendant Thomas Quillan suffers from a mental disorder or defect.

More than two dozen friends and family members of John Lee were in court for the hearing. Judge Michael Smrtic affirmed what medical experts had already determined, which is that Quillan suffers from a dangerous mental disease or defect.

“The law as it is set for has determined, by the way this has happened, that Mr. Quillan is mentally…has a mental disease. It’s a dangerous mental disease and I’m making that finding today,” said Smrtic. 

His determination officially ends the criminal matter in the machete killing of 77 year old John Lee, who was killed at his home on June 9, 2022. A shed on Lee’s property was set on fire during the incident.

At the hearing family members gave victim impact statements. They were read by his daughters Tracey Hine and Tammy Patrick and his granddaughter Julia Wilson.

“The horror of what this defendant did to my father has troubled me deeply and continues to haunt me every day,” said Patrick. “I feel hurt, anger, deep sadness, and confusion for what my family has endured due to the absolute senseless and disgusting decisions the defendant made that night.” 

Hine read her mom Donna Lee’s statement. 

“John worked hard all of his life to provide for his family. He loved them with all his heart and always reminded me how special I was to him,” said Hine on behalf of Donna. John and Donna Lee married in 1974. “We spent 48 beautiful years together. We were right in the middle of the most wonderful time of our lives, retirement. This had been a time we could enjoy each other without the pressures that work and family can bring.”

Quillan was arrested in June 2022 and indicted in December 2022 on four counts, including second degree murder, first degree assault, third degree criminal possession of a weapon and third degree arson. 

Wilson remembered John as a strong, kind and funny man. She said it was her grandfather she’d call after a hard day and he always lifted her spirits. She described all the things John would do for her and his one and only great grandson. 

“I am moving on and I hope the judge will throw away the keys and I hope you will never see the sun ever again until you rot in hell where you belong,” said Wilson.

Quillan was found “not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect” by Judge Smrtic after two evaluations from the state had found the same. The findings were consistent with a 2022 evaluation.

“His murder took away my right to say goodbye to my father. And took my father‘s right to a peaceful death. He chose when to end my father’s life and he had no right,” said Hine, John’s youngest daughter. “This is the most devastating thing I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.”

Judge Smrtic called the killing a senseless act, telling the family there was no making sense of it. He apologized to the family for the way the case played out.

“There are mechanisms in place that I think we missed along the way,” said Smrtic. “Until such a court, whether it’s me or another court, makes a determination that he isn’t dangerous he is going to remain in a secure facility.”

Quillan will be turned over to the New York State Office of Mental Health and confined to the Rochester Psychiatric Center.