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Princeton Grad Accused Of Killing Hedge Fund Dad Requests Yoga At Rikers
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 10, 2015
Modified Aug 10, 2015
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 10, 2015
Modified Aug 10, 2015
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The man currently in custody for allegedly killing his hedge fund founder father wants to take yoga classes: A Rikers staff told the Daily News that Thomas Gilbert Jr., 30, "kept asking for yoga. He thought he was in some resort.” It's worth noting that this is not such a fanciful request, as yoga classes are an option for some inmates at Rikers.
Gilbert was arrested for allegedly fatally shooting his father, Thomas Gilbert Sr., 70, in his parents' Midtown home. Authorities say that the son asked his mother to buy him a sandwich and, during her absence, killed his father, placing the gun with his father's body to make it look like he had shot himself.
Gilbert fled the apartment, leaving his mother to find the body. Police found him barricaded in his Chelsea apartment—paid for by his parents—with a case for the alleged murder weapon. It's believed that he had been arguing with his father over his allowance: His $400 a week allowance was reportedly cut to $100 a week and he was allegedly being pressured to pay for the $2,400/apartment himself.
A Princeton graduate, Gilbert was described as a "gorgeous loner"; an ex-girlfriend told the Post, "[H]is dad was hypercritical of him — he couldn’t do anything right... He talked a lot about his dad and how mean he was to him and how nothing was good enough." He spent a lot of time in the Hamptons, surfing and practicing yoga. Gilbert was also a suspect in an arson case in which an acquaintance's 17th century Sagoponack home burned down.
The News' Rikers sources say that Gilbert "repeatedly asked for somewhere to go exercise and was frequently seen jogging in place."
“He really thought he was at this upscale rehab,” another jail staffer said. “It was probably never going through his head that he’s probably never going home.”
Gilbert also repeatedly asked medical staff to call his private doctor to fill a muscle-building steroid prescription, the source said. “He was obsessed with exercise,” the insider added.
One source said, "It almost looked like he was happy being in jail. It was the first time in his life he didn’t have pressure." In February, Gilbert reportedly bragged about being in such good shape to cops.
Gibert's lawyer has claimed he has a history of mental issues. He is currently being held without bail.
Tagged
hedge fund dad
Princeton
rikers
Thomas gilbert jr.
thomas gilbert sr.
Tommy gilbert
yoga
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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