Lillian Webb talks
In conjunction with other law enforcement agencies, the Pennsylvania State Police had the opportunity to speak with Lillian Webb, wife of accused cop-killer Donald Webb, on several occasions about her husband's whereabouts.
In June, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Mike Chevron, who was attached to the Gaming Enforcement Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, invited investigating officers from the Pennsylvania State Police to tag along on an investigation that was being conducted on Lillian's son, Stanley Webb, for illegal gambling activities, allowing Pennsylvania authorities another crack at Lillian.
Working collaboratively, authorities were able to get a search warrant for Lillian's home, specifically for a secret room that had been found in the back of a closet when a previous warrant had been served.
At the same time, Trooper Max DeLuca, criminal investigation assessment trooper for Troop D, said a first interview with Lillian was conducted on June 27, lasting two to three hours, and did not uncover much information. He said Lillian spoke with authorities without her attorney present, but did make a phone call to him about halfway through, continuing to speak after the call.
“She was evasive like she has been this whole time,” DeLuca said. “But you could tell she was thinking at various times from her posture and her responses.”
When confronted about the secret room, DeLuca said Lillian denied everything, even knowing it was there.
DeLuca said the scope of the previous warrant did not include the room, and items found inside had to be left in place. The most current search warrant allowed for the collection of items inside the room, which included coins, a cane and other items.
“We took the door, the locking mechanisms, anything we could use to tie Donald Webb to that room using DNA,” he said. “You could tell that she knew something but she just wasn't going to give it up.”
The items were collected, some of which were brought back with troopers on their return trip, with the intention of sending them to the state police laboratory for analysis.
But that never happened, because two days later, Butler County authorities received a letter from Lillian Webb's attorney, John Cicilline of Providence, R.I., stating that Lillian would be willing to speak to Pennsylvania authorities again, if for one consideration.
That consideration was mentioned in a nearly identical letter sent to Butler County Assistant District Attorney Patricia McLean, DeLuca said. The topic: immunity for Lillian.
That letter arrived June 29.
“She was under a lot of pressure from everything that was going on in her life at the time,” DeLuca said. “The house was in her son's name, his assets were frozen and seized, and she was afraid of losing the house.”
