RECORDS
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Woman gets 10 years in
foiled murder-for-hire plot
By STEVEN DUBOIS
Associated Press
PORTLAND — A
judge sentenced an Oregon
woman Wednesday to 10
years in federal prison in
a murder-for-hire scheme
that fizzled when the felon
hired to kill
her ex-husband
alerted him to the
plot.
Pamela Gygi,
58, was sentenced
at the federal
courthouse
in
Eugene
after
pleading guilty
in
January
to charges of Gygi
unlawful firearm
possession and using
interstate commerce in a
murder-for-hire plot.
Assistant U.S. Attorney
Frank Papagni Jr. asserted
in court documents that
money was the motivation.
Gygi and ex-husband Dean
Hamill were embroiled in
a property dispute and she
was the beneficiary of his
$150,000 life insurance
policy.
Gygi wanted the money
to help pay for an upcoming
wedding and a move to
California, Papagni said.
“She
claimed
he
mentally and physically
abused her over their
32-year marriage, a claim
denied by or unsubstan-
tiated by their (six) adult
children,” Papagni said.
Court records show
Hamill sought a divorce
in 2014, as the two were
building a home in West-
lake, a small community
near the coast. He then
declined to give Gygi his
new address in Saratoga
Springs, Utah.
Months later, Gygi met
an Idaho man online and
soon set a wedding date.
Papagni
said
the
relationship ended after
the boyfriend obtained
Hamill’s address for Gygi
by hacking into online
Mormon membership files.
Gygi then met a Cali-
fornia man and planned to
marry him in August 2015.
When she needed money
for that wedding, she turned
to a felon identified in court
papers as KS.
Papagni
said
KS
attended the same church
as Gygi and worked for her
as a day laborer.
“She expressed how
things would be a lot easier
if (Hamill) was out of the
picture,” Papagni
said.
The would-be
hit man later
told authorities
that Gygi paid
him $600 and he
was
promised
a residence in
California,
a
2005
Dodge
Stratus and an
online business
Gygi owned with Hamill
involving dog and cat
breeding.
The felon violated
probation by driving across
state lines to warn Hamill,
whom he had known
before the divorce. He also
stopped in Reno, Nevada,
where he spent most of the
$600.
After Hamill went to
police on June 1, 2015, the
felon agreed to work with
investigators and record
several conversations with
Gygi.
The two discussed
tampering with Hamill’s
vehicle to make the death
seem like an accident, FBI
Special Agent Timothy
Suttles said in an affidavit.
They later decided an
accident might only injure
the man, not kill him, court
documents said.
Ultimately, Gygi got a
gun, authorities said.
She met the felon July
10, 2015, at a mall east of
Eugene. She arrived with
the Dodge Stratus on a
trailer, gave him the pistol
and suggested he make the
killing look like it occurred
during a home invasion,
authorities said.
The felon told her that
Hamill would be dead in
about 36 hours.
Gygi left the parking lot
and was going to Costco
to “get wedding pictures
done” when she was
stopped by FBI agents,
Papagni said.
BRIEFLY
Fiesta kicks off
celebration in Old
Town Freewater
MILTON-
FREEWATER — A Main
Street Fiesta marks the
start of Milton-Freewater’s
Cinco de Mayo
celebration.
The event is Friday
from 5-9 p.m. on North
Main Street in Old Town
Freewater. There is no
admission charge for the
family-friendly event that
features live entertainment
by Coyote Joe, Sonido
Show Cuatrero and
Artrevidos de Michoacan.
The evening also includes
shopping, tastings and
vendors.
Saturday’s activities
include a Cinco de
Mayo Breakfast. A
fundraiser for Cinco
de Mayo, Community
United Milton-Freewater
and Milton-Freewater
Downtown Alliance, it
costs $10 per person.
The free festival
activities run from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m. at Yantis Park,
200 Dehaven St., Milton-
Freewater. In addition to a
parade at noon, the event
features food, live music,
bouncy houses, dancing
horses, raffles and vendors.
For more information,
visit www.facebook.
com/MiltonFreewater
CincoDeMayoCU.
UmCo receives
achievement award
Umatilla County
has won a national
award for its regional
capacity-building initiative,
partnering with Eastern
Oregon Business Source
to help local cities, schools
and nonprofit organizations
with grant writing.
The initiative received
an achievement award
from the National Associ-
ation of Counties, and will
be recognized during the
association’s 2017 annual
conference and exposition
July 21-24 in Franklin
County, Ohio.
“Counties overcome
complex challenges,
provide essential services
and constantly do more
with less,” said Bryan
Desloge, president of the
National Association of
Counties. “We applaud
these award-winning
counties for outstanding
efforts to improve resi-
dents’ quality of life.”
Nationally, awards are
given in 18 categories.
Umatilla County won for
community and economic
development innovation.
Commissioner George
Murdock said the initiative
is meant to bring more
dollars into the region and
expand county programs
while easing pressure on
the general fund.
Flag pole to be
replaced with
70-foot version
HERMISTON — One
of Hermiston’s landmark
flags will be replaced with
something smaller after
the wind blew over the
138-foot flag pole at N.W.
Metal Fabricators.
The business on North
Highway 395 has had
the tall pole for 11 years,
but owner Kerry Karlson
said after looking over the
situation they have decided
to replace it with a 70-foot
pole for safety reasons.
Luckily no one was
injured and no property
was damaged when the
pole came down more than
a week ago, Karlson said.
“It just went right to the
north and laid out on that
field,” he said. “We were
very fortunate.”
He said it looked like
the old pole fell victim
to the harsh winter after
water got inside the base
and repeatedly froze and
thawed.
“Then the winds just
took it from there,” he said.
East Oregonian
Page 5A
OBITUARIES
DEATH NOTICES
Eula Fern (Kent) McCann
Damian Thomas Anderson
Pendleton
October 27, 1926-May 2, 2017
Pendleton
July 23, 1995-April 25, 2017
Eula Fern (Kent) McCann,
90, passed away surrounded
by her loving family on May
2, 2017.
Eula was born on October
27, 1926, in Bedford, Iowa,
to Dillard and Ollie (Wallace)
Kent. She joined
two brothers, Bill
and Roland. The
family farmed in
Iowa before tran-
sitioning to Banks,
Oregon, where Eula
graduated
from
high school in 1944.
She then began a
program at Provi-
dence Hospital in
Portland to become McCann
a registered nurse.
On November 27, 1948
Eula married her love
Herbert in Reno, Nevada.
The couple lived briefly in
Oakland and then returned to
the Portland area where they
were blessed with their first
two daughters. In 1958 the
family moved to Pendleton
where their third daughter
was born. Together they
enjoyed many weekends in
the mountains camping and
spending time at their cabin
in the Ukiah mountains.
Eula was a surgical nurse
with St. Anthony Hospital
for 30 years. In her spare
time she enjoyed gardening
and various crafts like tole
painting or making wreaths.
Eula is preceded in death
by her parents and brothers.
She is survived
by her daughters
Kim Peterson of
Pendleton, Cindy
(Casey) Anderson
of Council, Idaho,
and Debbie (Scott)
Dutcher of Weed,
Calif.;
grand-
children
Becky
Peterson of Pend-
leton, Kelli Peterson
of
Pendleton,
Clint
(Amanda)
Anderson of Lusk, Wyo., and
Christie (Randy) Scilacci of
Lovelock, Nevada; seven
great-grandchildren;
and
multiple nieces and nephews.
Per her request there
will be no formal service.
Contributions in her memory
in lieu of flowers may be
made to the American Heart
Association.
Burns
Mortuary
of
Pendleton is in charge of
arrangements. Sign the
condolence book at www.
burnsmortuary.com
Damian Thomas Anderson, 21, of Pendleton died
Thursday, April 25, 2017, in Grants Pass. He was born July
23, 1995, in Pendleton. A funeral service will be held Friday,
May 5 at 8 a.m. at Pendleton Pioneer Chapel, Folsom-Bishop.
Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.
pioneerchapel.com
Alvin ‘Bruce’ Christopher
Hermiston
Sept. 14, 1945-April 27, 2017
Alvin “Bruce” Christopher, 71, of Hermiston died Saturday,
April 27, 2017, at his home. He was born Sept. 14, 1945,
in Santa Ana, Calif. A private family gathering will be held.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements. Sign
the online condolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com
Wilma Margaret Hanks
Pendleton
Jan. 29, 1927-March 18, 2017
Wilma Margaret Hanks, 90, of Pendleton died Saturday,
March 18, 2017, at her home. She was born Jan. 29, 1927, in
Salem. An informal celebration of life will be held Sunday,
May 7 from 1-4 p.m. at the Great Pacific Wine & Coffee Co. in
Pendleton. Pendleton Pioneer Chapel, Folsom Bishop. Online
condolences may be shared at www.pioneerchapel.com
OBITUARY POLICY
The East Oregonian publishes paid obituaries. The obituary can
include small photos and, for veterans, a flag symbol at no charge.
Obituaries may be edited for spelling, proper punctuation and style.
Expanded death notices will be published at no charge. These include
information about services. Obituaries and notices can be submitted
online at www.eastoregonian.com/obituaryform, by email to obits@ea-
storegonian.com, by fax to 541-276-8314, placed via the funeral home
or in person at the East Oregonian office. For more information, call
541-966-0818 or 1-800-522-0255, ext. 221.
UPCOMING SERVICES
THURSDAY, MAY 4
No services scheduled
FRIDAY, MAY 5
ANDERSON, DAMIAN — Funeral service at 8 a.m. at
Pendleton Pioneer Chapel, Folsom-Bishop, 131 S.E. Byers
Ave., Pendleton.
PHILLIPS, YVONNE — Celebration of life service at 4
p.m. at Landmark Missionary Baptist Church, 125 E. Beech
St., Hermiston. Burial will follow at the Hermiston Cemetery.
MEETINGS
THURSDAY, MAY 4
UMATILLA COUNTY SPE-
CIAL LIBRARY DISTRICT, 5:15
p.m., Pendleton City Hall, 501
S.W. Emigrant Ave., Pendleton. A
budget committee meeting at 5:15
p.m. will be followed by a regular
board meeting. An executive ses-
sion will be called following the
regular meeting. (Dan Feil 541-
276-6449)
ADAMS PLANNING COM-
MISSION, 6:30 p.m., Adams City
Hall, 190 N. Main St., Adams.
(541-566-9380)
PENDLETON
PLANNING
COMMISSION, 7 p.m., Pendleton
City Hall council chambers, 501
S.W. Emigrant Ave., Pendleton.
(541-276-7811)
FRIDAY, MAY 5
No meetings scheduled
PENDLETON
Farmers market sprouts for 2017 season
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
Cheryl
Montgomery,
manager of the Pendleton
Farmers Market, is excited
about kicking off the 2017
season.
Nearly
two
dozen
vendors
have
already
confirmed plans to set up
for the first market, which is
Friday at 4 p.m. The market
is in the 300 block of Pend-
leton’s Main Street, and will
remain until dusk.
“Pendleton
Farmers
Market is a great place to
buy really fresh fruits and
vegetables, and homemade
crafts,” Montgomery said.
Market-goers for the first
week, she said, likely won’t
find any fruits. However,
Montgomery said some
early season vegetables will
be on hand. In addition,
farm-produced goods such
as honey, eggs, vinegars, oils
and Pat-n-Tam’s Beef will
be available. Also, prepared
foods, such as a Polynesian
food vendor, will provide
tasty goods. And local
crafters will offer everything
from soaps and aprons to
scarves and jewelry.
And bread — don’t forget
the bread, Montgomery said.
“We have three great
bakery vendors,” she said.
Montgomery
encour-
LOTTERY
In other farmers
market news
File photo
Aida Jimenez of Jimenez Farms in Walla Walla waits
on a customer during first Pendleton Farmers Market
of the 2014 season. The 2017 market opens Friday at 4
p.m. in the 300 block of Main Street.
ages people to stop by
the market’s information
booth to purchase the latest
Pendleton Farmers Market
swag, including T-shirts,
hats, posters and shopping
bags. Also, she reminds
market-goers to register as
a Smart Shopper. The free
program provides a punch
card. After five punches,
Smart Shoppers receive a
token that translates to $5 in
market money to be spent at
any vendor.
Friday’s market also
features live entertainment
by Ron Martin. In addition,
children will find activities
at the kids’ booth.
As one of the largest
in Eastern Oregon, Mont-
gomery is proud of the Pend-
leton market. She expressed
Tuesday, May 2
Mega Millions
05-14-42-43-58
Mega Ball: 1
Megaplier: 4
Estimated jackpot: $15
million
Lucky Lines
04-05-09-14-FREE-18-22-
25-29
Estimated jackpot: $10,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 5-9-3-2
4 p.m.: 9-5-9-8
7 p.m.: 3-6-9-9
10 p.m.: 3-1-0-1
Wednesday, May 3
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 3-2-8-4
5/4
Cineplex Show Times
$5 Classic Movie
5/10
PRIVATE BENJAMIN
Going In Style (PG13)
4:20
938-4327
Gates Open
GATES
OPEN at
AT 7:00
7:30 p.m.
P.M.
SHOWTIME
Showtime
starts AT
at DUSK
7:30 p.m.
Shows playing Fri, Sat, Sun
May
5th, 6th, 7th
ZOOTOPIA
GUARDIANS
PG OF THE
GALAXY 2 (PG-13)
The Fate of the Furious
(PG13)
4:10 7:00 9:50
The Circle (PG13)
4:40 7:10 9:40
Boss Baby (PG)
4:50 7:20 9:30
Always two
two
movies
Always
movies
for for
the
of of
one!
the price
price
one!
Fri.
• Sat.
• Sun.
Fri.
- Wed.
www.m-fdriveintheatre.com
www.m-fdriveintheatre.com
Adults $7,
$7, Children
Children 11
Adults
11 &
& Under
Under $2
$2
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STAR WARS:
AND
THE BEAUTY
FORCE AWAKENS
PG13 ( PG )
THE BEAST
drop off to the attention of
Tammy Malgesini at 333
E. Main St., Hermiston, or
Renee Struthers at 211 S.E.
Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call
541-564-4539 or 541-966-
0818 with questions.
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Guardians of the Galaxy
Vol. 2 (PG13)
7:00 10:00
Unforgettable (R)
4:30 6:50 10:00
M-F FM/AM
DRIVE
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appreciation for the support
of the community, vendors
and farmers.
“It’s a great opportunity
for our community to
provide an extra venue for
shopping for local and fresh
items, and all of our local
crafters and their wares,”
Montgomery said. “It’s a
social thing too — people
love to come down there and
visit.”
For more information,
contact
541-969-9466,
pendletonfarmersmarket@
gmail.com or visit www.
pendletonfarmersmarket.
net.
———
For news about other
markets in the region, send
information to community@
eastoregonian.com
or
•Heppner is gearing
up for a start date of
Friday, June 2. It will run
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at
Heppner City Park, 444
N. Main St. For more
information, call Don
or Jo Ann Shannon at
541-676-8957.
• There has been a fair
amount of chatter on the
new Facebook page for
the Hermiston Farmers
Market. A new logo has
been created and a new
face — BeAnn Smith is
overseeing the weekly
market.
The target start date is
Saturday, June 17 from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m. at Herm-
iston’s proposed festival
plaza on Northeast
Second Street between
Main Street and Gladys
Avenue.
For more information,
contact Smith at herm-
istonfarmersmarket@
gmail.com or visit
www.facebook.com/
Hermistonfarmersmarket
-1713625582263775.
Credit & Debit Cards accepted
Cineplex gift cards available
* Matinee Pricing
wildhorseresort.com
541-966-1850
Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216
/LIW&KDLUV
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