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UPDATE:

Johnstown, PA (WJAC) — Authorities have released new details about the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Giles and the arrest of her husband, Brian Giles.

Brian Giles was taken into custody Friday afternoon and charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and hindering apprehension.

Authorities say Brian's wife Nancy was reported missing on October 23, 2018 and her body was later discovered along the James Wolf Sculpture Trail in May of 2019.

Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees ruled Nancy Giles' death a homicide in October of 2019.

Detectives have now released the timeline of the investigation into Nancy Giles' disappearance and death, and what led to the arrest of her husband.

Authorities say in May of last year, a witness came forward to report that he had observed both Nancy and Brian near the trail, where her body was later found, in September of 2018.

Detectives say the witness also reported seeing Brian in the same area, by himself, one week prior.

Following Nancy's disappearance, detectives say they interviewed Brian on Nov. 8, 2018. The timeline of events from that interview are as follows:

• According to the affidavit, police say Brian told investigators that on Oct. 10, 2018, he reportedly caught his wife having sex with another man, at which time he allegedly kicked her out of their home.
• Police say Brian then explained that over the course of the next few weeks, he reportedly saw or spoke with his wife, on multiple occasions, and that each time, she allegedly begged him (Brian) to come home, but he repeatedly told her no.
• Police say during that same time, Nancy's mother repeatedly contacted Johnstown police for any information regarding the disappearance of her daughter, whom she had not seen or heard from since October 13, 2018.
• On October 30, 2018, police say Brian contacted the Pennsylvania State Police Barracks in Ebensburg to report that he had recently spoken with his wife and that "she is fine."
• Investigators say the following day, Halloween of 2018, an employee at the Drop In Center in Johnstown contacted police to report that Brian had stopped by the clinic and left a post-it note which stated that Nancy was "at his house and is safe, don't go looking for her anymore."
• On Nov. 1, 2018, police spoke with Brian, who told officers that he had seen Nancy just two days prior. Police say Brian also reportedly advised officers that he had been "keeping a log of everything" due to "all the drama" with his wife.
• On Nov. 2, 2018, the affidavit states that Brian and another witness had discussed Nancy's alleged disappearance, at which time, according to the witness, Brian reportedly stated that "everything was under control" and then stated "I hope they do find her, with her head [expletive] split."
• In a January 2019 interview with said witness about the alleged conversation, police say the witness told officers that Brian's demeanor when making the aforementioned statements "led him (the witness) to believe that Brian meant what he said." Police say it should be noted that Nancy's body was found with a cracked skull.
• Police say the same witness then explained that on Nov. 3, 2018, he followed Brian to the area of the Stone Bridge in Johnstown where he witnessed Brian taking photos wooded area across the river, which police say is where Nancy's remains were found
• On Nov. 6, 2018, police were contacted by two employees at the Drop-In Center, who told police that they had last seen Nancy Giles on October, 14, 2018. Police say the individuals explained that they had helped Nancy fill out an application with the Johnstown Housing Authority and that they were "concerned" for her. They also told police that Brian's demeanor had seemed to chance, at the time, following Nancy's disappearance.
• When police interviewed Brian on Nov. 8, 2018 about these events, police say Brian repeatedly stated that his wife was not missing and that he believed that she was in hiding.
• Police also say Brian had given authorities permission to search his home, during his Nov. 8 interview, at which time police allegedly found a crumpled missing person photo of Nancy underneath a dresser. Police say when asked if he ever had a missing persons photo of his wife, Brian reportedly told authorities that he did not.

On January 11, 2019, following the interview with the aforementioned witness, police say they conducted a second interview with Brian Giles.

Police say during the second interview, Brian reportedly made several contradictory statements about the disappearance of his wife.

• Police say Brian gave a different description of the man with whom he had allegedly caught his wife having sex with on Oct. 10, 2018.
• Police say Brian also changed his statement about kicking Nancy out of his home, telling police that he gave her the option to stay and that it was her decision to leave.

On March 21, 2019, police conducted a third in-person interview with Brian.

• Police say Brian began the interview by making the following statements, "is this what the warrant is for? Is it for Nancy? I kind of figured it was."
• Police say Brian then made the statement, "I am not going to let someone 'dismangle' her like that, do something evil to her."
• Police say when they asked Brian if he thought Nancy would come back, he stated, "I have seen a lot of weird things in my life, so I can't answer that question."
• Authorities then told Brian a witness had observed him throwing two garbage bags, presumably containing Nancy's body parts, off the bridge, to which he replied, "if" he did do something like that, he would have been caught on camera. Police say he then went on to say that "you would see me throwing everything over the hill," but made no mention of the bridge.
• Police say they then told Brian that Nancy's clothes had washed up on the riverbank, to which he replied, " that is not even humanly possible because I didn't, there were no clothes there." Police noted that when Nancy's body was found, there were no clothes with her remains.
• Authorities say Brian then admitted to lying to police about what clothes Nancy was wearing when she was last seen, as he "wanted to do his own investigation."
• Police say he repeatedly told detectives that he had been in contact with Nancy and that she was "out of town," but he would not give police the number that he used to contact his wife.
• Detectives say after being repeatedly asked about where he believed Nancy was, Brian reportedly responded, "what do you want me to tell you? That I know she is dead somewhere in a grave somewhere? Because I won't tell you that." Police noted that Nancy's remains were found in a shallow grave.
• Police say they also asked Brian a hypothetical question about how he would get rid of his wife, to which he responded that he would bury her remains in the ground, which police noted is exactly how Nancy's body was found.
• Police say at the end of the third interview, Brian stated, "I know I didn't put her in the river." Police say Brian then "caught himself" and continued on by stating, "that doesn't mean I put her anywhere else either."

On May 28, 2019, investigators identified Nancy's remains and police say they visited the local soup kitchen to inform Brian that his wife's remains had been found.

Police say Brian continued eating his food and "acted as if nothing was wrong." Police say he also did not ask any questions about her death.

Detectives say a few days later, authorities searched Brian's home for his DNA, at which time he became irate and said, "of course my DNA will be on her, I'm married to her."

In Nov. 2019, approximately one month after the coroner had official ruled Nancy's death as a homicide, police say they were contacted by a distant relative of Brian.

• Police say the man reportedly told authorities that he heard about Nancy and Brian's reported "extramarital issues" to which he explained that Brian would reportedly get very upset with his wife about them.
• Police say the relative told authorities that Brian had allegedly assaulted Nancy, on multiple occasions, resulting in numerous hospital visits.
• Detectives say while the relative stated that he never witnessed any of the alleged assaults, he had reportedly heard Brian speaking about them in a "almost bragging manner."
• Police say Brian had also reportedly made a statement to the relative that he would "bash her (Nancy's) head in with a rock, then bury her in the woods."

On March 12, 2021, police say they spoke with a man who had been previously incarcerated with Brian Giles in late 2020, after he (Brian) had been charged for assaulting his then girlfriend, Jilly Todaro

• Detectives say the man reportedly told police that Brian had told him that Nancy's body had been found without skin, that she was decaying.
• Police say those details about her remains were never released to the public

Police say prior to his arrest in late 2020, Jilly Todaro had reportedly contacted the Cambria County District Attorney's office to turn in clothes and jewelry that had belonged to Nancy.

Todaro was later reported missing in Dec. 2020.

Lastly, police say in March of 2022, Brian reportedly made a statement to his probation officer that detectives had made a mistake at the crime scene and that the dirt at Nancy's grave was different than other dirt and that there should have boot prints visible at the crime scene.

Police repeatedly noted throughout the complaint that Brian had made mention of various details about Nancy's death that were never made public, and concluded that only the individual who killed Nancy would have knowledge about how she was murdered.

“This case demonstrates the commitment and dedication of law enforcement to finding the perpetrators of violent crime. This case began as a report of a missing person 2018, and JPD has never stopped working to bring justice to Nancy and her family. Many people and entities worked together on this case, and everyone will continue to work together to see this case through to the end. We appreciate the support and information from the community. When the community and law enforcement work together, our neighborhoods are safer," District Attorney Greg Neugebaeur said in a release.

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ORIGINAL:

Authorities say Johnstown man, Brian Giles, was taken into custody Friday on criminal homicide charges in relation to the death of his wife.

Court documents indicate the 46-year-old has been charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and hindering apprehension stemming from October of 2019.

Brian Giles is the husband of the late Nancy Giles, who disappeared in 2018.

Nancy’s body was later found buried in a shallow grave along a Johnstown trail and her death was ruled a homicide in 2019.

Brian Giles was previously charged with harassment, simple assault and escape after an altercation in Dec. 11, 2020 with Johnstown woman, Jilly Todaro who was reported missing Dec. 13, 2020.

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