Stanwood Elkus: Decades of Resentment, One Deadly Decision

Stanwood Elkus: Decades of Resentment, One Deadly Decision

Stanwood Fred Elkus, a 79-year-old retired barber from Lake Elsinore, California, was convicted in 2017 of first-degree murder for killing Dr. Ronald Gilbert, a urologist, in 2013. What followed was a story of a long-held grievance that boiled over into violence. 

The Spark: What Started It All

In 1992, Elkus began experiencing frequent urination and sought medical help at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Long Beach. Dr. Ronald Gilbert, then a medical resident, was among those who evaluated him. They diagnosed him with a urethral stricture (narrowing of the urethra) and recommended surgery. 

Gilbert did not perform the surgery himself. Other doctors carried it out. Elkus claimed the procedure worsened his problems. He said it caused incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and a lowered sex drive. These health issues, he believed, ruined his relationship; his longtime girlfriend left him. 

Over the years, Elkus told multiple people that his life declined because of the surgery. His physical ailments became intertwined with emotional, psychological pain. 

Pre-Murder Planning

Elkus spent years nursing the grievance. He told doctors, neighbors, anyone who would listen, that his life had been ruined. 

In December 2012, he bought a .45-caliber Glock 21. He also made arrangements in his life: set up a living trust, handled property affairs, as if preparing for the consequences of his act. 

When he booked the appointment with Dr. Gilbert in January 2013, Elkus used a fake name (Allen Gold) so Gilbert would not suspect. 

The Crime

On January 28, 2013, Elkus checked into Gilbert’s office under the alias. He waited in an exam room. When the doctor entered, Elkus pulled out the gun and fired 10 times, aiming at Gilbert’s chest, neck, and side. Gilbert died from his injuries. 

After shooting, Elkus allegedly turned toward a nurse and said, “I’m insane. Call the police.” He did not flee. He surrendered. 

Trial and Conviction

Elkus plead not guilty by reason of insanity. His defense argued he had dementia, brain damage, and that the surgery had begun a mental decline. They said he lacked capacity for moral or legal responsibility. 

Prosecutor countered that Elkus was lucid enough, planned carefully, rehearsed acts, carried out a plan over many years, which showed he understood what he was doing. 

Jury found him sane at time of killing. Convicted him of first-degree murder, lying in wait, personal use of a firearm. 

Sentence and Aftermath

In September 2017, Elkus was sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years, with no possibility of parole. 

Dr. Ronald Gilbert was mourned by family, friends, colleagues. Gilbert had been due to turn 53 shortly after his death. 

What Makes the Case Remarkable

The gap of over 20 years between the medical procedure and the violent act shows how unresolved resentment can become lethal.

The crime was carefully planned: alias, appointment, gun purchase, arrangement of his affairs. Not impulsive.

The case raised hard questions around medical outcomes, patient loss, mental health, legal sanity.

Reflection

This is not a story about just medical error or malpractice. It is about what happens when someone believes they were harmed, feels ignored, isolates themselves, and builds a grievance into resentment. Elkus held Gilbert responsible for all his problems, many of which may have been beyond what any doctor could fix. But in his mind, Gilbert was the focal point.

The risk signs include persistent anger, blaming others, planning retaliation. The legal system judged Elkus sane, so his act is seen as criminal, not a symptom of legal insanity.