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The case was dubbed the Facebook murders because Jenelle Potter was unfriended by Payne and Hayworth on the social media site. Were guaranteed that in our Constitution, Shults said. The CIA agent Chris had apparently been corresponding with Barbara and warning her about threats to her daughters life. It takes a cold-blooded person to shoot someone holding a baby, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Scott Lott told 20/20.. The post-conviction judge, William Acree, heard testimony for this appeal over a three-day period in July. Social media allowed Jenelle Potter to be someone that she wasnt She invented Chris. I plead guilty, your honor, Barbara reportedly said. In one incident, police photographed a rock, pictured above, that was found in the Potters front yard with the names Billy Payne and Billie Jean written on it. Appearing in Washington County Court on Wednesday, Barbara Potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitation of first-degree murder in the 2012 killings of Billy Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth, Johnson City Pressreported. I love my husband, but I would not sit here and lie for them," Barbara Potter said. Payne, 36, and Hayworth, 23, were killed about three years ago in their Mountain City home by Marvin Potter and Jamie Curd. Crime risk data are updated annually. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The statement also said Buddy Potter was innocent and that it was Curd who planned and carried out the murders. A life sentence in Tennessee requires a inmate serve 51 years before being eligible for parole. Courtesy Tate Davis Jenelle and Her Family Adjust to Life in Mountain City 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. "I think that we did it to each other. 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 represented her husband at a previous trial had a conflict of interest by representing them both. 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. [emailprotected]. According to Mountain City PD, the suspect, identified as Jimmy Gale Morefield, waited for officers to arrive at the scene of the shooting. I wanted the harassment to stop," Potter said. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Mountain City crime rates are 58% lower than the national average Violent crimes in Mountain City are 47% lower than the national average In Mountain City you have a 1 in 102 chance of becoming a victim of crime Mountain City is safer than 62% of the cities in the United States Year over year crime in Mountain City has decreased by 32% 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.. His testimony has to be taken in light of the massive bias hed have to help his family, and it would have to be evaluated in light of the other evidence in the case, Brooks explained. Curd's initial bond was raised to $1.5 million while Potter remains jailed on his initial $200,000 bond. Janelle kind of spurred it. The 2019 Mountain City crime rate fell by 41% compared to 2018. 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. I thought lets see where this goes. I rekindled my love of writing.. The fourth defendant, Jamie Curd, described by prosecutors as Jenelles boyfriend, was also charged, but he worked out a plea agreement with the state in exchange for testifying against the Potter women. So he decided to write it down. "I went through a lot with them, but I never wished them dead. Regardless of how Mountain City does relative to all communities in America of all sizes, when NeighborhoodScout compared it to communities of similar population size, its crime rate per thousand residents stands out as higher than most. 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.. Because of what they were saying about my daughter.. While Marvin was being questioned, police executed a search warrant on the Potter house. But behind her parents backs, Jenelle and Curd would secretly spend time together. 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. I dont want anybody murdered. And if I have to forgive any of youns to stay out of hell, Ill see you there, Garland said. Curd said Buddy picked him up and drove to a church parking lot near the Payne home. . Jenelles Dad Admits to Being Involved in Murders. At that time, Reeces only statement was that he would not respond to the letter in question. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. 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. Because we knew that they had trouble with [Hayworth and Payne], Woodard told 20/20.. Shults, who represented Barbara Potter in this part of her appeal, said his client was entitled to due process and independent counsel for her trial. However, a judge granted her a new trial after finding that her attorney, Randy Fallin, had a conflict of interest when he represented her in her 2015 trial because he had also represented Buddy Potter, who was convicted in 2013, and was continuing to represent him during the appeals process. The book is written in the first person perspective and tells what led to the brutal murder. Both parties lawyers claimed the information was paramount, considering the Potter womens charges are under Tennessee Code Annotated 39-11-402, criminal responsibility for the conduct of another. To have that opportunity was important to her. Yes, Barbara responded. 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.. 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. 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. ", "[My mom and Chris] would write emails all the time back and forth, and she would tell me about him, she added. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? In August 2013, authorities arrested Jenelle and Barbara for the murders of Payne and Hayworth. The couple was killed in their home on January 31, 2012. By Becky Campbell Barbara Potter was also convicted of tampering with evidence, which stemmed from her tearing up photos of Hayworth and some of Hayworths friends while investigators were executing a search warrant at the Potter home. Crime, Popular Communities Near Mountain City TN. Defense attorneys did not present any evidence, but argued that concurrent sentencing was warranted in the case. And when she would go out with her dad, he said they were watching them together, Barbara said. "He said he couldn't use his real name, his real identity," Barbara Potter said. Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood said the crime was the most bizarre thing hes seen in his career as a judge, but that concurrent sentences virtually guarantees the women will never be released. Emailus. Its just not in her.. The book discusses the police investigation that Brooks said made the crime even more interesting. In her amended petition for post- conviction relief, Petitioner argues: A. Moreover, the rate of property crime in Mountain City; burglary, larceny ($50 or more), grand theft auto, and arson; is 10 per 1,000 residents. His wife told 20/20 he later worked with the CIA. Gen. Warner Ross, Tennessee's Adjutant General, confirmed the identities of two Tennessee Army National Guard pilots killed Wednesday af. Please subscribe to keep reading. Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne were found shot dead in their home. My dad even tried to meet him places, try to talk to him.. She said she was the victim of anonymous cyberbullying, some of which she believes came from Hayworth. appearing in washington county court on wednesday, barbara potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of . There was a problem saving your notification. "Barbara and Janelle share the responsibility. Jenelle Potters convictions were upheld in a separate opinion issued by Acree. When they impounded Marvin Potter's truck, police also found several plastic bags of shredded emails that an agent put back together. You have permission to edit this article. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. 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: Jenelle Potter's former friends Billie Jean Hayworth, Billy Payne were murdered. We won't share it with anyone else. She didnt have a job or drive a car. Winds light and variable.. Clear skies. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. [They] threatened to get [me] raped, Jenelle said. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Janie Hayworth, older sister to Billie Jean Hayworth, and Beverly Garland, mother of Payne, both said the loss of their loved one greatly affected their families, and their lives would never be the same. Listen to "39: Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders" on Spreaker. This is about average for all cities and towns in America of all population sizes. 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. Billie Jean Hayworth was dating Billy Payne, and the couple lived together with their 7-month-old baby boy. / CBS News. Barbara Potter, her husband Marvin Buddy Potter, and their daughter Jenelle Potter had all previously been convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder by Washington County juries. Authorities seized 51 items from the house, including their family computer. Assistant District Attorney Dennis Brooks said he will have to talk with District Attorney Ken Baldwin to determine the states next step, but appealing the ruling could be an issue. Blackwood told Curd there was no guarantee the parole board would agree to grant his release that quickly. When the Potter women went on trial in 2015, Marvin Potters case was still on appeal. Subscriber Verification(Must be Logged In Using Free Account). The tragic case rocked the entire town of Mountain City, Tennessee. Relative to Tennessee, Mountain City has a crime rate that is higher than 58% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes. The release states officers found Teddy Allen Street lying on the roadway with a gunshot wound to the neck.. 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. Rental prices in Mountain City are 40% lower than the . Prosecutors believe Jenelle used the false identity to fool her parents and to goad Marvin into the killing. Barbara could have argued that if her actions could have been construed as encouraging her husband to act, it resulted from her being duped or catfished.. [The text messages were] very telling about Jenelle being involved in the preparation for the killing, prosecutor Dennis Brooks told 20/20.. Rice then asked how she wanted to plead. Winds light and variable. The shocking murder left 36-year-old Billy Clay Payne and 23-year-old Billie Jean Hayworth dead. This equates to a rate of 3 per one thousand inhabitants. If you can show trial counsel had a conflict of interest, then you didnt have independent representation. Barbara Potter, 69, of Mountain City, has been serving two life sentences alongside her daughter, Jenelle Potter, 38, in the Jan. 31, 2012, shooting deaths of Billy Payne, 36, and Billie Jean Hayworth, 23. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) - A Mountain City man has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly shooting a man in the neck in November 2020. Hed have given the testimony he gave yesterday.. Note: Because the rates of crime are so low in America, we use "per . In this photo, a rock is pictured found on the front lawn of the Potter family's home. Paynes stepfather, David Garland, sent copies of a letter addressed to the acting sheriff, Mike Reece, to The Tomahawk in July 2012. Winds light and variable. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Crime risk indices are nationally comparable on a 1 100 scale, where 100 means safer than 100% of U.S. neighborhoods. But Jenelle Potter said Chris was using her email to protect his identity. Please dont do this, Jenelles mom Barbara said. The two were shot to death in their Mountain City . But when an online feud erupted, two of her former friends were found murdered in their home while their baby survived. Raw data sources: In a mystery that involved a supposed CIA agent, cyber bullying and a small Tennessee town, read below to see what led to the coldblooded murders. 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. The feud ended with Payne and Hayworth unfriending Jenelle on the social media site, according to the report. The couple defriended Jenelle Potter, prosecutors said, which may have been the ultimate action that led to the murder. One day while picking up prescriptions, Jenelle befriended pharmacy clerk Tracy Greenwell. Randy Fallin, defense attorney for Barbara Potter at her murder trial in 2020. 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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. Violent Payne, 36, and Hayworth, 23, were killed about three years ago in their Mountain City home by Marvin Potter and Jamie Curd. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. He survived unharmed, though he was found covered in blood. After seven days of testimony, the jury found both Jenelle and Barbara guilty of first degree murder, and they were both sentenced to life in prison in July. Subscribe Now. Although Brooks is excited to have completed and published a book, hes still a prosecutor. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. "I love my daughter. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. He never testified. A withh. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? I did Bill first and then I think Billie did me. I think they would be called masterminds, said Lott. [Jenelle said] she wished that Bill and Billie Jean and that damn baby would die. The two were shot to death in their Mountain City home. I unfriended them. Where is 2022 data? [photo credit: YouTube] Barbara, you wanted to know if youd go to hell? Keep an eye out for more updates on the Facebook Murders. Read more about Scout's Crime Data. In one of them, Barbara Potter was communicating with Chris and sounded like she wanted Payne and Hayworth dead. Law enforcement officials have been involved in other incidents where Potter's daughter, Jenelle Potter, thought she had been slighted by someone. A gruesome execution style double murder of a young couple shakes a small mountain community in Eastern Tennessee. Date(s) & Update Frequency: The 60-year-old father is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for killing Billy Payne Jr. and his girlfriend, Billie Jean Hayworth.