UO professor ID'd in double homicide: 'it was a shock'

EUGENE, Ore. - The former dean to the University of Oregon's School of Music and Dance, Anne Dhu McLucas was identified Sunday night as the second victim in a double homicide that occurred south of Eugene.

“I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone with more energy, more kindness or generosity," said UO associate professor of music Marian Smith on Monday. “She was just about to retire. She was just finishing a long and successful career as a teacher.”

McLucas was a retired professor of the University of Oregon's School of Music, with specialties in ethnomusicology and musicology. While retired, she still taught seminars at the school. McLucas served as dean to the School of Music from 1992 to 2002.

Smith said McLucas was planning on teaching one final fall quarter seminar on the oral traditions of music.

On Friday night, LCSO officials reported finding two people dead on a property located at the end of Needham Road. The two victims were later identified as Eugene residents James Fredrick Gillette, 73, and Anne Dhu McLucas, 71.

After an investigation of the property, police said they arrested 36-year-old Eugene resident Johan Gillette on two counts of felony murder.

“I was just very surprised, of course, it was a shock," said Smith. "None of us have really recovered from the shock yet.”

Friends of both victims said that James and Anne were domestic partners. People who knew the couple said that James was Johan Gillette's father. Officials investigating the crime have yet to confirm these statements from friends of the victims as fact.

“Full of life, full of life," added Smith. "I’ve never known anyone more full of life than Anne.”