Family of slain 25-year-old woman says man accused in her death was controlling and manipulated her through religion

photo by: Lily O'Shea Becker

Kristin Gibbs, left, and her daughters Ashlyn, Madelyn, Erin and Kearan Gibbs spoke Friday, May 20, 2022, about their daughter and sister, Regan Gibbs, at a news conference at Lawrence Police Department Headquarters. Regan was killed early this week, and her significant other, Chad Marek, is facing first-degree murder charges.

The mother of Regan N. Gibbs says her daughter’s significant other was controlling and manipulated her through religion before killing her earlier this week at the couple’s shared apartment in Lawrence.

The mother, Kristin Gibbs, was in Lawrence Friday with her four other daughters to speak about Regan’s death. The four daughters also shared memories of their elder sister.

photo by: University of Kansas

Regan Gibbs played soccer for KU

Kristin Gibbs said her daughter, 25, and Chad Marek, the man accused of murder, were not legally married. She said the family had met Marek only once and that it was evident from that first meeting that he was controlling and tried to isolate Regan. As one example, she said her daughter’s phone was not working and her only contact with her was via Marek’s phone — and on speaker mode with no video so that he could hear everything the two women said.

She said Marek, who was known around Lawrence for evangelizing with a bullhorn and talking about the spirit of Satan, manipulated her trusting daughter through religion.

She emphasized that if anyone knows someone in what they suspect is an abusive or controlling relationship, they should act immediately to try to get the person out of the situation.

Regan, originally from Washington state, played soccer at the University of Kansas in 2018-19. Court records indicate that she and Marek filed for a marriage license in November 2021, and Regan’s Facebook page indicated that the couple were married on Nov. 24, 2021.

Kristin Gibbs said Regan graduated from high school with honors and had her pick of colleges before deciding on KU. She said Regan’s greatest passion was soccer.

“She was ecstatic to be here,” Kristin Gibbs said. “She helped her team beat Mizzou in double overtime for the first time ever. We were so proud.”

After graduating from KU with a degree in behavioral science, Regan went to work at St. Luke’s Behavioral Health in Phoenix and worked with people struggling with mental health issues before Marek convinced her to come back to Kansas, Kristin Gibbs said.

Regan’s sisters shared emotion-filled memories of their older sister.

Regan’s sister Ashlyn said she was about 18 months younger than Regan. She said that as soon as she was born, Regan gave up her spot on their parents’ bed at night, “but she still wanted to be near so she would leave her room and crawl up with her blanket at the foot of the bed.”

Ashlyn said she remembers driving around the yard in a pink play jeep with Regan and finding caterpillars and picking strawberries.

Regan was always interested in getting to know people and didn’t judge them, Ashlyn said.

“When we were in school, she would find people sitting alone and befriend them,” Ashlyn said. “Regan was genuinely interested in getting to know you. She didn’t care what you looked like or what other people thought. She saw the good in everyone.”

Ashlyn said that Regan made many other people’s lives better, and that “she was uncommon and beautiful and genuinely caring in a way that few people are.”

“He will not take her away or the good she did,” Ashlyn said of Marek.

photo by: Lily O’Shea Becker

Ashlyn Gibbs, Regan Gibbs’ younger sister, shares a memory of Regan on Friday, May 20, 2022, at a news conference at Lawrence Police Department Headquarters. Regan was killed early this week, and her significant other, Chad Marek, is facing first-degree murder charges.

photo by: Lily O’Shea Becker

Ashlyn Gibbs, Regan Gibbs’ younger sister, shares a memory of her sister Regan Gibbs on Friday, May 20, 2022, at a news conference at Lawrence Police Department Headquarters. Regan was killed early this week, and her significant other, Chad Marek, is facing first-degree murder charges.

Regan’s sister Madelyn said Regan was many things, but most of all she was driven by her desire to help others.

“In her lifetime, Regan willingly gave all that she had to bring joy to others and never expected or ever desired anything in return,” Madelyn said. “She was selfless, forgiving and unashamedly herself.

“When I heard of her passing, I realized I lost my best friend,” Madelyn said.

Regan’s sister Erin said Regan loved to sit with her sisters at the piano and always asked Erin to show her how to play something. Regan would sing Disney songs with the family; her favorite song to sing was “Let It Go” from “Frozen,” Erin said.

Erin said that Regan’s death had yet to really sink in.

“This really does not feel real,” Erin said. “I think every one of us could say that we are expecting her to come home from one of her long, extended stays in Kansas, and I miss her so much.”

Regan’s sister Kearan said she was about 9 years younger than Regan. She told a story of when she and Regan noticed a band giving a concert, and that there were some groups of people dancing near the stage but also an old man dancing alone. She said Regan quickly went and joined the man, and soon she, Kearan, started to dance too.

“That’s what she brought out of us — no matter how closed off you were, she seems to bring that out of people,” Kearan said. “I just wish they hadn’t taken that away from me.”

Regan’s mother said the family took part in the news conference Friday to provide a picture of who Regan really was. She said she hoped that the family would now have some privacy to grieve.

“Regan is my daughter and she always will be,” she said.

photo by: Lily O’Shea Becker

Kearan Gibbs, Regan Gibbs’ younger sister, shares a memory of Regan on Friday, May 20, 2022, at a news conference at Lawrence Police Department Headquarters. Regan was killed early this week, and her significant other, Chad Marek, is facing first-degree murder charges.

photo by: Lily O’Shea Becker

Regan Gibbs’ family share a laugh as they recall a fond memory of her at a news conference on Friday, May 20, 2022, at Lawrence Police Department Headquarters. Regan was killed early this week, and her significant other, Chad Marek, is facing first-degree murder charges.

photo by: Lily O’Shea Becker

Kristin Gibbs, left, speaks Friday, May 20, 2022, about her daughter Regan Gibbs at a news conference at Lawrence Police Department Headquarters. Regan was killed early this week, and her significant other, Chad Marek, is facing first-degree murder charges. At right is Ashlyn Gibbs, Regan Gibbs’ younger sister.

As the Journal-World has reported, Regan was allegedly killed by Marek, 27, in the 2500 block of West Sixth Street on Monday night. Police said that Marek called 911 and reported that he had killed Regan and that God told him to do it.

Marek, charged with first-degree murder, was arrested Monday at the apartment. Regan was declared dead at the scene by Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical crews. Lawrence Police Chief Rich Lockhart said he couldn’t provide any specific information about the cause of Regan’s death until an autopsy is completed, but he did say that her body had experienced a lot of physical trauma.

The arrest affidavit in the case was sealed by Judge Stacey Donovan on Wednesday, and a motion for a competency hearing for Marek was also filed, according to court records.

photo by: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

Chad Marek

Marek is being held in the Douglas County Jail on a $1 million bond.

Marek has been frequently seen in downtown Lawrence evangelizing with a bullhorn. He has posted videos online decrying COVID-19 vaccines as the “spirit of the Anti-Christ” and saying “Wake up Lawrence, they are coming for your children. The LGBTQ agenda is coming for your children.”

In Douglas County District Court on Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden said Marek had at least 10 prior convictions, including convictions for battery, interference with medical emergency crews and interference with law enforcement. It wasn’t clear whether any of those convictions took place in Douglas County.

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Below are some photos of Regan that her family provided: