When they took him, they took no oxygen. [photo credit: YouTube] Facebook Murders revisited: I did that on purpose. Rice asked Barbara to confirm that her current attorney, Scott Schults, had performed his job to the best of his abilities, which she did. The Brady case determined that prosecutors are required to turn over any evidence that would be in favor of the defendant. The two men walked across a field in the dark, then Buddy Potter handed Curd a gun just before they went into the Payne home, but Curd said it was Buddy Potter who walked down the hallway and shot Payne, then Hayworth. Although Brooks is excited to have completed and published a book, hes still a prosecutor. According to a summary from the publisher, when Payne and Hayworth began their romance, they unknowingly set in motion a diabolical plot that would end with them murdered in their own home, Hayworth holding their infant, who was not harmed. Discover your neighborhood's best match, anywhere. Read more about Scout's Crime Data. Data Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation - Crime in the U.S. MLA Citation: Other Cities in TN; City Name Population Rate; Ridgely: 1,662: 60.17: Bean Station: 3,094: 32.32: Savannah: 6,968: 28.70: An agent meticulously reconstructed more than 100 pages of what appeared to be thousands of emails sent to the Potter family. Guilty verdicts were handed out for the Potters and Curd pleaded guilty. The feud ended with Payne and Hayworth unfriending Jenelle on the social media site, according to the report. Marvin Potter is accused in the shooting deaths of a couple who removed his adult daughter as a friend on the social network. She will eventually be coming up for parole. Tenn. father charged with murdering couple who"unfriended" daughter on Prosecutor Brooks told the jury that Jenelle authored all the emails from Chris by pointing out the childish writing and misspellings matched her pattern of speech. "She may be on a fourth-grade level, but she has a Ph.D. in manipulation," Brooks, the prosecutor, said. Morefield, 55, of Mountain City, has a bond set at $50,000. Violent Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents), Property Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents). Press Senior Reporter Attorney Scott Shults, right, talks to his client, Barbara Potter on Wednesday, July 14. Jenelle Potter, pictured above, said she had trouble making friends when she moved to Mountain City, Tennessee, in 2005. In August 2013, authorities arrested Jenelle and Barbara for the murders of Payne and Hayworth. By Becky Campbell Because of health problems, including Type 1 diabetes, Potter spent most of her time living at home with her parents, who cared for her every day. In addition to the conflict between Mr. Fallins duties to the Potters as counsel and the Fallins business interests in the Potter property and finances, the system of dual representation and dual payment in this case appears to have created in Mr. Fallins mind the impression that Marvin and Barbara were in this together. Accordingly, Mr. Fallin chose to view the couples legal fortunes as one and the same rather than recognizing the distinct prosecutorial theories involved in the spouses cases and pursuing the different defenses required to rebut the different theories of prosecution. Barbara and Jenelle Potter, who will be the subject of an ABC 20/20 segment later this year, continue to deny any involvement in the murders. The photos, apparently taken from Facebook, had been emailed between Jenelle Potter and her mother with titles like panface, and whores. Barbara Potter received a three-year prison sentence for the tampering conviction. The family patriarch, Marvin Potter, is already serving two consecutive life sentences after being convicted in October 2013 of the murders. The murder occurred after months of allegations from Potters daughter, Jenelle Potter, and his wife, Barbara Potter, and a Facebook defriending. Courtesy Tate Davis Jenelle and Her Family Adjust to Life in Mountain City Because you are guilty? Rice asked. In a tiny town in Tennessee, a young couple are brutally shot, execution style in their home. He had dogs. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Hayworth died while holding her 7-month-old baby boy. Enhanced Cost of Living Calculator Now includes childcare, taxes, health, housing for home owners vs renters, insurance costs and more when you upgrade to premium. The murders happened in Mountain City, but the case is being tried in Jonesborough because of the pre-trial publicity that surrounded the so-called Facebook murders.. Choose wisely! The letter also included records of others seeking court-ordered protection from Jenelle because of the alleged harassment stretching back four years, claiming the victims should have been protected better. Jenelles sister Christie Groover, whos been estranged from the family for a decade, said Jenelle struggled to make friends growing up. Keep an eye out for more updates on the Facebook Murders. Because we knew that they had trouble with [Hayworth and Payne], Woodard told 20/20.. Recommended for you - Johnson City Press Hayworth was dating Billy Payne, and the couple lived together with their infant son. He testified at Barbara and Jenelles trial that Buddy Potter asked him for a favor, then cashed in on it the morning of the murders. Morefield reportedly told investigators that the shooting was in self-defense. 39: Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders - Spreaker Our nationwide meta-analysis overcomes the issues inherent in any crime database, including non-reporting and reporting errors. Invalid password or account does not exist. Curd said as soon as he realized what was happening and saw the bodies, he ran out of the house and back to the truck. Partly cloudy skies. "I went through a lot with them, but I never wished them dead. The shocking murder left 36-year-old Billy Clay Payne and 23-year-old Billie Jean Hayworth dead. Police later moved in and arrested Marvin in a pre-dawn raid in February 2012. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. The day after the womens verdict was announced, Brooks said he tried to unwind, but the facts of the case stayed on his mind. a tennessee mother who was one of the three family members convicted in the so called "facebook murders" case rejected her chance at a new trial and reached a deal with prosecutors that will send her to prison for 25 years. 2021. Its just not in her.. Were guaranteed that in our Constitution, Shults said. Detectives had Curd call Marvin to get a confession on tape. "We've had enough. Like the request in 2016, this attempt revolves around new evidence. There were some discussions that he would testify at his wifes trial, but ultimately he did not. And when she would go out with her dad, he said they were watching them together, Barbara said. ", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Mr. Fallin made no effort to explain a potential conflict or obtain informed waivers from Barbara and Marvin. The day after the murders, Chief Deputy Joe Woodard of the Johnson County Sheriffs Department, talked to Jenelle, Barbara and Marvin at their home, which they recorded. This is possible by associating the 9.4 million reported crimes in the U.S, including over 2 million geocoded point locations. I already knew the story, he said. I just needed to lay it out. Raw crime incidents are sourced from all 18,000+ local law enforcement agencies municipal, county, transit, park, port, university, tribal and more, assigned to localities, then built into NeighborhoodScouts proprietary predictive models to provide a comprehensive crime risk profile for every neighborhood and address-vicinity in the U.S. More about NeighborhoodScouts crime data methodology, By sending this Report you agree to NeighborhoodScout's, My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Prosecutors believe Potter created a false online identity of a CIA agent named Chris, in a phenomenon known as "catfishing," to fool her parents and her boyfriend and to goad her father into killing Hayworth and Payne. Garland also had some harsh words for Barbara Potter, answering a question posed in one of Barbaras emails. Now, two of the three parties serving two consecutive life sentences for the 2012 murders of Bill Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth are asking for a new ruling. In this photo, a rock is pictured found on the front lawn of the Potter family's home. The prosecutor noted that the case is layered and the subjects are compelling. 18,000 local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. After combing through them, it appeared there was some type of conspiracy here. He now says what triggered his actions was evidence presented by Curd that his daughter was being bullied. That visit left the victims with execution-style shots to the head, Paynes throat cut, and the couples eight-month-old son asleep in Hayworths lifeless arms. Payne and Hayworth were shot inside their Johnson County home early that morning while Payne was getting ready for work. "Match Any Neighborhood" calculates the Match Level of one neighborhood to another using more than 200 characteristics of each neighborhood. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Whats happening this weekend around the Tri-Cities? I only have that book because of someone elses tragedy, Brooks said. His wife told 20/20 he later worked with the CIA. Jenelle Potters convictions were upheld in a separate opinion issued by Acree. Blackwood told Curd there was no guarantee the parole board would agree to grant his release that quickly. She was paranoid about it.. And if I have to forgive any of youns to stay out of hell, Ill see you there, Garland said. A Tennessee mother who was one of the three family members convicted in the so-called "Facebook Murders" case rejected her chance at a new trial and reached a deal with prosecutors that will send her to prison for 25 years. The 38-year-old Curd reportedly had a romantic interest in Janelle Potter. By being able to show conflict of interest, we were able to show ineffective assistance of counsel.. He never testified. Jenelle Potter lived with her parents Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, pictured together here. But when police took a look at the computer they seized from the Potters' home, they learned the emails from the CIA agent Chris were all coming from an account that belonged to Jenelle Potter, and a review of the IP address confirmed that. The two were shot to death in their Mountain City . Only a few . The cover of a book by Dennis Brooks entitle "Too Pretty to Live". He also said he never communicated by email with the women and hadnt seen Jenelle since high school. He was tried in 2013, while his wife and daughter were tried together in 2015. Both. If you can show the attorney had a conflict of interest, then prejudice is presumed. The Rules of Professional Conduct impute the actions of non-lawyers to their attorney employers. "I didn't murder anyone," Jenelle Potter told ABC News' "20/20. Please subscribe to keep reading. Potter is serving two concurrent life sentences for the murders of the couple who were found in their Mountain City, Tennessee, home with single gunshot wounds to their faces. A week after the crime, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest of Marvin "Buddy" Potter (of no relation to the mayor) and his daughter's then-boyfriend, Jamie Lynn Curd. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. In recounting the evidence against Barbara during Wednesdays plea hearing, Deputy DA Brooks reportedly described how investigators found hundreds of emails that showed how Jenelle catfished by pretending to be a CIA agent named Chris. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Potter reportedly agreed. The search engine finds the neighborhoods that are the optimum fit to the set of criteria you choose. Story of Mountain City Facebook murders reaches national audience in 2023 Compare Cities Economy: Lakewood Park, FL vs Mountain City, TN "I love my daughter. Couple Murdered for 'Unfriending' Woman On Facebook - The Daily Beast On July 13 and July 14, the Washington County Criminal Court revisited a crime that put a national focus on the small town of Mountain City. One day while picking up prescriptions, Jenelle befriended pharmacy clerk Tracy Greenwell. She certainly could have. 2 Charged In Johnson County Double Murder - Chattanoogan.com They also, in the same breath, would say how different she was, and then [she] became unable to make friends normally, Groover told 20/20.Social media became Jenelles life support, though she said her parents monitored her Facebook page. Marvin Potter finally, before his family and a judge, confessed fully to the 2012 murder of Bill Payne, one of the two first-degree murder convictions he is jailed on today. I didnt grow up here, Potter, 34, told 20/20. People here do not like outsiders.. Choose wisely! Mountain City, TN: United States: Unemployment Rate: 5.3%: 5.5%: 6.0%: Recent Job Growth: 1.9%: 0.1 . Methodology: High 57F. But Potter, who lived at home with her strict parents and spent most of her adult social life on social media, denies this. When Brooks was through, Criminal Court Judge Lisa Rice reportedly asked Barbara if she agreed that what the prosecutor described would be the evidence presented against her in court if she were to be tried again. The Real 'Fatal Attraction' Killer - Jennifer Reali - Colorado Springs, CO. They also discovered printed photos of the victim and her friends in the living room. Jamie Curd, Marvin Potter's friend, has also been charged in the murders. Nothing ever showed up in my sent box," Jenelle Potter said. And we were trying to figure out who he was. The jury reached a verdict of guilty on Friday, October 11, 2013 in the trial of Mavin Enoch Buddy Potter, Jr. who was charged with two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Mountain City couple Bill Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth. From our analysis, we discovered that violent crime in Mountain City occurs at a rate higher than in most communities of all population sizes in America. I dont want people to think, Hes just prosecuting the case to write another book, said Brooks, who does not know whether hell ever write another book. To have that opportunity was important to her. I never wanted them dead," Jenelle Potter, 34, told ABC News' "20/20" in an exclusive interview about the murders. I changed my password lots of times. No signup or install needed. And they interviewed him for hours, Barbara told 20/20. When his oxygen gets low, he says things that dont make sense or are incorrect., Jenelle and Her Family Are Investigated for the Murders. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. There was a web of jealousy, allegations of threats from Hayworth and Payne toward Jenelle Potter, emails between them all and even an alleged bounty for Jenelles murder, JCP reported. I was a bad person. Mountain City, TN - Unfriended Facebook Murders Every Town podcast An agent meticulously reconstructed the shredded papers found in Marvin Potter's truck, pictured here, which appeared to be thousands of emails sent to the Potter family. MOUNTAIN CITY Agents of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are investigating the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting that took place in Johnson County just after 7 p.m.. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The couple was killed in their home on January 31, 2012. Emailus. Jenelles Dad Admits to Being Involved in Murders. Washington County District Attorney's Office. A Johnson County man pleaded guilty to facilitation of first-degree murder in a 2012 brutal double murder Tuesday and mother and daughter convicted in the crime will serve their two life sentences concurrently, a judge ruled Tuesday, giving the younger at least some chance of being paroled. The CIA agent Chris had apparently been corresponding with Barbara and warning her about threats to her daughters life. Randy Fallin, defense attorney for Barbara Potter at her murder trial in 2020. Best Places to Live in Mountain City, Tennessee One of three Facebook murder convictions overturned, mother granted new Armed with evidence that he believed proved the entire family was involved, prosecutors also charged Barbara Potter and Jenelle Potter in the killings. Jenelle said one of her Facebook friends, Billie Jean Hayworth, was the one behind the attacks because Hayworth was jealous of her looks. Maybe somewhere along the way, hes had a change of heart, but, in my mind, if he wanted to help those women at their trial, hed have done it. Their infant son was still cradled in his dead mother's arms. Cause I wasnt born and raised here. Barbara Potter released a statement after her sentencing saying she hopes justice will one day prevail and her innocence be proven. After Curds plea on Tuesday, state prosecutors Assistant District Attorneys Matt Roark and Dennis Brooks presented two witnesses to testify about how the deaths of Payne and Hayworth affected them and their families. All three convictions will be appealed, according to their attorneys Randy Fallin and David Robbins for Buddy Potter, Randy Fallin and Tate Davis for Barbara Potter and Cameron Hyder for Jenelle Potter. Everybody says she fell in love with Bill, but I still dont see that, said Greenwell. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. But from Barbaras perspective, shed already had that trial one time. The matriarch of a family trio convicted on two counts of first- degree murder in the so-called Facebook murders was granted a new trial after a judge ruled her trial attorney who also. Mr. Fallin was not granted power of attorney over the Potter family assets counsels daughter Jessica was. During the interview, Jenelle appeared to be hiding her romantic relationship with Curd from her parents. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Yeah, youre going to hell. "We have been using NeighborhoodScout data from Location Inc. for over 5 years. But Jenelle said there were real threats of violence against her. In a tiny town in Tennessee, a young couple are brutally shot, execution style in their home. Burton (girls) triumph in triple-header at UVa-Wise, VHSL HOOPS: Eight state quarterfinals on tap tonight for local squads, Five new businesses set to come to The Pinnacle, Farmville native caught with 42 lbs of cocaine, $862K in drug money gets 17 years, VHSL HOOPS: Parker Bandy's emergence key for Honaker Tigers, In Tennessee, a Medicaid mix-up might land you on a most wanted list, Recent cases prompt authorities to warn parents of social media's risks, Alaskas Iditarod kicks off with ceremonial start, Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Dogs, mushers prep for Iditarod as PETA accuses racers of animal abuse. MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. (WCYB) One of six people charged in the kidnapping and murder of a North Carolina man was found guilty in a Johnson County, Tennessee courtroom. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. It was higher than in 27.8% U.S. cities. Crime rate in Mountain City, TN - City-Data Rental prices in Mountain City are 40% lower than the . Mountain City Murder (Hannah Scrabble Cozy Mysteries Book 3) The 7-month-old boy survived unharmed. Paynes throat had also been slashed as he lay in bed, and Billie Jean had been cradling their baby in her arms when she died. Our nationally-comparable school ratings are covered under US Patent No. And the worst part of it their 8-month-old baby was found still lying in the arms of his dead mother. The Potter women were not present when the couple was killed, but they were convicted under a law of criminal responsibility, meaning their actions led to the murders. When I read this, I was devastated, Lindsay Thomas, a friend of Hayworth and Payne, told 20/20., [Jenelle] was always saying that somebody was mad at her. We won't share it with anyone else. Jenelle Potter's former friends Billie Jean Hayworth, Billy Payne were murdered. 39: Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders / CBS News. "I emailed him through my email, and I said, you know, 'How'd you get my screenname, password?' She was thinking of that and of wanting to accept her fault in what actually occurred., [image via Johnson County Sheriffs Office], Have a tip we should know? Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. Because of what they were saying about my daughter.. He also pointed out that based on time served, she had already completed the 30-percent of her sentence required to be eligible for parole. While being questioned by detectives, Marvin said, Ever since all this crap started, Ive had my life threatened. The murders shocked the public conscious, leading cases to be moved out of the county because of pre-trial publicity, and were also the subject of a book penned Deputy District Attorney Dennis Brooks titled, Too Pretty to Live, the Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee..