Robert Joseph Gilliam Was Lisa Robin Kelly's 19 Year Older Husband - Facts about Him
Lisa Robin Kelly's marriage to Robert Joseph Gilliam was filled with drama that led her to file for divorce. She died before the divorce went through.
In November 2012, Lisa Robin Kelly was still married to her husband, Robert Joseph Gilliam. The star and her husband made the news in November of that year after they were both arrested for assault.
The former couple's arrest occurred in Mooresville. She and her husband, whom she married in October 2012, were charged with misdemeanor assault, but they were released on a bond.
Lisa Robin Kelly at the FOX 2000 summer press tour party in Hollywood on July 21, 2000 | Source: Getty Images
At the time of their joint arrest, the actress's husband was 61, and she was 42, making him 19 years older than her. Gilliam's wife had a brush with the law twice before, in 2010 and March 2012. The former couple's marriage ended when Kelly filed for divorce.
What Happened to Robert Joseph Gilliam's Marriage, and Is the Actress Still Alive?
In July 2013, reports revealed Lisa Robin Kelly's husband would no longer be her spouse after she filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences." Gilliam's tumultuous relationship with the actress culminated in a divorce filing after the former couple reportedly got into an argument when he asked her to empty her bank account.
The former "That 70's Show" star's husband allegedly wanted her to give the money, and when she refused, he physically attacked her. Kelly tried calling the police, but Gilliam got hold of her phone, but a neighbor called the law on them, leading to his arrest.
Soon enough, she'd gotten a restraining order against him and then filed for divorce. Gilliam was convicted of domestic battery, set to serve 69 days in jail with three years probation, had to attend a 52-week domestic violence program, and had to remain 100 yards away from his wife.
On August 17, 2013, Kelly's boyfriend allegedly blamed Gilliam for causing her relapse...
Sadly, on August 15, 2013, Kelly's agent revealed she'd died in her sleep that day aged 43 in Los Angeles. Robert Wyckoff shared the heartbreaking news that his client passed away while at a drug rehabilitation center after her former boyfriend and roommate, John Michas, took her there two days before.
A headshot studio portrait of Lisa Robin Kelly in Beverly Hills, California on April 12, 2000 | Source: Getty Images
A week later, Gilliam spoke to the media, claiming he and the "Murphy Brown" actress had been "very much in love." The retired drug counselor alleged that Kelly was sober when they married but relapsed before starting to use pain pills to relieve a back injury, with him adding:
"The only thing that ever came between Lisa and I was drugs and/or alcohol."
Gilliam said he threatened to leave her if she didn't get treatment and stop using, but they ended up separating before her divorce filing. The day she died was also the day she was supposed to go to court for a hearing.
He believed her lifestyle eventually caught up with her. With tears in his eyes, Gilliam shared how he wished to remember her as vibrant and playful and said he wanted people to recall the "true Lisa," who appeared happy and carefree in her last videos.
On August 17, 2013, Kelly's boyfriend allegedly blamed Gilliam for causing her relapse, but the formerly estranged husband said his wife's partner was trying to protect himself. The late star's husband claimed she called him 22 times asking for assistance leaving her boyfriend.
He was reportedly willing to help her if she got into a rehabilitation center closer to North Carolina, where they'd cohabited. Gilliam said Kelly had agreed, and he was mid-preparation for her return when she died.
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