Women Behind Bars Tuesdays at 10p|9c

Linda Pillius


Inmate Name: Linda Pillius Charge: first-degree manslaughter Sentence: 22 years Prison: Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, New York Linda Pillius was born in 1958 and grew up in Orange County, New York. As Linda tells it, although she was close to her mother, her father’s constant alleged abuse was a major contributor to her problems as an adolescent and an adult. Diagnosed with mental problems in her teen years, she was given medication that caused her to live in a haze of drugs. She also developed a drinking problem and left home at an early age. By 1980, Linda was living in San Diego and had a son named Robert. Unable to care for Robert on her own, she moved back to New York to be closer to her family. But in 1984 Linda was convicted of second-degree murder when she stabbed a woman whom she had attempted to rob. She was released on parole after serving the minimum sentence. Looking for a fresh start, she moved to Rochester and enrolled in an addicts program where she met Brian DeLaFranier, and dated him for eight years. Although Linda’s life began to get back on track, she finally gave in to the pull of her addictions, and started to exhibit signs of dangerous behavior, allegedly attacking Brian with a knife. Although Linda was allegedly diagnosed with cancer, by 2002 Brian and his family could no longer put up with her, and asked her to leave. By 2003, Linda had moved to a suburb of Rochester and met landscape designer and handyman Dennis Titus. He took her in for a few months; then he tried to get her to move out. On September 7, 2004 Dennis took two female friends on a boat ride near his house. Linda went to the city to buy drugs and had some drinks. When she returned to the mobile home, she and Dennis allegedly had an argument over some crack, and Dennis's affection for his afternoon guests. In a fit of anger, Linda stabbed Dennis, who managed to get to his parent’s house next door. But a few hours after Dennis was brought to the hospital, he passed away. Linda was arrested for Dennis's murder. Although Linda’s lawyers tried to present her as mentally incompetent to stand trial she was deemed competent. She chose to plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 22 years in prison. She says she asked Dennis’s parents to forgive her. In prison, Linda goes to church and believes that the Lord will help to give her the strength to endure.