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. It was higher than in 27.8% U.S. cities. After Marvin Potter, who is known as "Buddy," was arrested for the murders, he also told police his daughter's life was being threatened. Janelle kind of spurred it. I thought lets see where this goes. I rekindled my love of writing.. Later that week, authorities brought Curd in and asked him to take a polygraph test, which indicated he lied about knowing the identity of Payne and Hayworths killer. Armed with evidence that he believed proved the entire family was involved, prosecutors also charged Barbara Potter and Jenelle Potter in the killings. "Every one of them pointed straight back to Barbara and Janelle's home address," Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agent Scott Lott told "20/20. The states evidence hinged on hundreds of emails and Facebook posts and messages sent between Jenelle, her mother, Curd and a mystery man named Chris who was supposedly a CIA agent who wanted to kill Payne and Hayworth but couldnt, so he urged the Potter women to find someone else to do it. One day while picking up prescriptions, Jenelle befriended pharmacy clerk Tracy Greenwell. He now says what triggered his actions was evidence presented by Curd that his daughter was being bullied. A life sentence in Tennessee requires a inmate serve 51 years before being eligible for parole. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The couple was killed in their home on January 31, 2012. The shocking murder left 36-year-old Billy Clay Payne and 23-year-old Billie Jean Hayworth dead. I did that on purpose, Marvin testified about slitting Paynes throat in his confession at the post-conviction hearing. 2021. Invalid password or account does not exist. But a feud on social media erupted and, eventually, they deleted each other as friends on Facebook. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Billie Jean Hayworth was dating Billy Payne, and the couple lived together with their 7-month-old baby boy. 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. Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Jenelles sister Christie Groover, whos been estranged from the family for a decade, said Jenelle struggled to make friends growing up. On Jan. 31, 2012, a friend found Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne dead by single gunshots to their faces. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Prosecutors believe Jenelle used the false identity to fool her parents and to goad Marvin into the killing. You can cancel at any time. I only have that book because of someone elses tragedy, Brooks said. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Subscribe Now. Agent Lott then arranged for Marvin to call his wife Barbara. My client is not guilty for having an overprotective father, Jenelles attorney Cameron Hyder told 20/20. She is not capable of directing anyone to commit murder. In a tiny town in Tennessee, a young couple are brutally shot, execution style in their home. 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. Maximum Access, Minimal Investment Pay As You Scout $29.99 per report Get Started Subscribe & Save FROM $39.99 per month See Pricing License Scout Data API Bulk Processing Flat File Explore Now Scout Before You Invest. Like her husband and daughter, Barbara was sentenced to serve life in prison. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Director Adam Kassen Stars Marken Greenwood Danny McFarland Diana Caban Velez 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.. 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. 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 didn't murder anyone," Jenelle Potter told ABC News' "20/20. Yeah, youre going to hell. Janelle kind of spurred it. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Because Buddy did have some health issues.. Everybody says she fell in love with Bill, but I still dont see that, said Greenwell. There were some discussions that he would testify at his wifes trial, but ultimately he did not. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Marvin Potter, Barbara Potter and Jenelle Potter are all planning to appeal their convictions. Create a password that only you will remember. Defense attorneys did not present any evidence, but argued that concurrent sentencing was warranted in the case. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. I did not do that," Barbara Potter told ABC News' "20/20. I just needed to lay it out. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Jenelle Potter lived with her parents Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, pictured together here. Appearing in Washington County Court on Wednesday, Barbara Potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitation of . But Jenelle said there were real threats of violence against her. The case was a tangled 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. Were guaranteed that in our Constitution, Shults said. They also discovered printed photos of the victim and her friends in the living room. Choose wisely! My dad even tried to meet him places, try to talk to him.. "We've had enough. Guilty verdicts were handed out for the Potters and Curd pleaded guilty. ", Jenelle Potter said of communicating with the supposed CIA agent Chris through email, "I thought he was someone that I was friends with in school. But behind her parents backs, Jenelle and Curd would secretly spend time together. The cover of a book by Dennis Brooks entitle "Too Pretty to Live". He said he couldnt use his real name, his real identity.. 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. I changed my password lots of times. Subscriber Verification(Must be Logged In Using Free Account). Jenelle Potter said her father became more protective with her because of the alleged threats she was receiving. Considering this evidence, the Court concludes Mr. Fallin operated under a conflict of interest in representing both Barbara and Marvin Potter in this case.. 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Fallins argument at that trial was that Marvin Potter, convicted in 2013, had nothing to do with the murders. Create a password that only you will remember. At one point, Barbara ripped the photos that were found in what seemed to be an attempt to hide them from police. He was a sports writer at the Johnson City Press and a stringer for the Bristol Herald Courier and Maryville Daily Times. 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. 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. Story of Mountain City Facebook murders reaches national audience in book, tv special. I didnt murder anyone, Jenelle, pictured in jail above, told 20/20., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Their infant son was still cradled in his dead mothers arms. Although Brooks is excited to have completed and published a book, hes still a prosecutor. His wife told 20/20 he later worked with the CIA. Said Jenelle Potter: "I didn't murder anyone.. Its just not in her.. Jenelle and Her Family Adjust to Life in Mountain City. Chris promised that he would have their back if they acted to protect Jenelle. For those that are fuzzy on the nearly decade-old crime, this case, known as the Facebook Murders, revolves around a social media feud that made its way to the real world. Jamie in the interview had said something to the effect of, Is the CIA here? That was a very strange question to me, Lott said. She will eventually be coming up for parole. In another part of the ruling, Acree wrote: In this case, despite Mr. Fallins belief that no conflict of interest prevented him from representing both Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, the Rules of Professional Conduct make clear that Mr. Fallin was required to explain the potential conflict to his clients and obtain informed consent in writing before Mr. Fallin could represent Barbara. Please dont do this, Jenelles mom Barbara said. When they took him, they took no oxygen. The tragic case rocked the entire town of Mountain City, Tennessee. Marvin Potter and Jamie Lynn Curd. 18,000 local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. [emailprotected]. Brooks believes Jenelle was pretending to be Chris. 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.. If you can show the attorney had a conflict of interest, then prejudice is presumed. The judge did not find any fault on the Brady issue, but he did grant relief on the first two issues. The murder occurred after months of allegations from Potters daughter, Jenelle Potter, and his wife, Barbara Potter, and a Facebook defriending. 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. 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: No one wants to kill anyone but we will," Barbara Potter wrote in the email. "I did Bill first and then I think Billie did me. Barbara potter. We felt sorry for Jenelle because she was sheltered and sick and stuff, Greenwell told 20/20.. But Potter, who lived at home with her strict parents and spent most of her adult social life on social media, denies this. Then, too, she wanted to make amends with what had happened. [Jenelle said] she wished that Bill and Billie Jean and that damn baby would die. 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. 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.. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Jenelles father, Marvin Potter, and her boyfriend, Curd, then broke into the home of Payne and Hayworth and murdered them. Randy Fallin, defense attorney for Barbara Potter at her murder trial in 2020. Blackwood told Curd there was no guarantee the parole board would agree to grant his release that quickly. Date(s) & Update Frequency: This is about average for all cities and towns in America of all population sizes. "Barbara and Janelle share the responsibility. Violent Mr. Fallin made no effort to explain a potential conflict or obtain informed waivers from Barbara and Marvin. Crime risk indices are nationally comparable on a 1 100 scale, where 100 means safer than 100% of U.S. neighborhoods. Social media allowed Jenelle Potter to be someone that she wasnt She invented Chris. Barbara Mae Potter, 64, and her daughter, Jenelle Leigh Potter, 35, of Mountain City, were tried in May on charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree murder. You have to have hard, concrete facts in court, he added. All the trademarks displayed on this page are the property of Location, Inc. Curd's initial bond was raised to $1.5 million while Potter remains jailed on his initial $200,000 bond. Buddy and Jenelles convictions were both upheld on appeal. She did want to go in there and plead guilty, Schults told the paper. Please enter valid email address to continue. By Becky Campbell "I didn't hate [Hayworth and Payne]. He survived unharmed, though he was found covered in blood. Garland also had some harsh words for Barbara Potter, answering a question posed in one of Barbaras emails. 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. Because of what they were saying about my daughter.. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Low around 35F. All three Potters are serving two life sentences each for the murders. The CIA agent warned the parents that surveillance of Payne and Hayworth revealed that the two of them were planning on harming Jenelle, that it was imminent, and that something needed to be done. I did Bill first and then I think Billie did me. Robert Littleton was. 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. And I unfriended her., Jenelles Former Friends Are Found Murdered. It turned out there really was a person named Chris Chris Tjaden, a police officer in Delaware who attended high school with Jenelle Potter who prosecutors said Jenelle based her fictitious CIA friend on. When they impounded Marvin Potter's truck, police also found several plastic bags of shredded emails that an agent put back together. "I emailed him through my email, and I said, you know, 'How'd you get my screenname, password?' 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 The Mountain City TN murder/homicide rate for 2015 was 0 per 100,000 population, a NAN% decline from 2014. The turmoil eventually led to Buddy traveling to Payne and Hayworths mobile home in Mountain City where he shot and killed both execution-style, slit Paynes throat, and left the couples 8-month-old son alive in his mothers lifeless arms. Potter had a crush on Payne and wanted him and Hayworth dead after they moved in together and had a child, according to prosecutors. Jenelle Potter's former friends Billie Jean Hayworth, Billy Payne were murdered. [They] threatened to get [me] raped, Jenelle said. I just disliked them. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Marvin Potter is accused in the shooting deaths of a couple who removed his adult daughter as a friend on the social network. Select your ideal criteria and let Scout do the rest. Authorities seized 51 items from the house, including their family computer. Violent Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents), Property Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents). 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. Winds light and variable. 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.. The family patriarch, Marvin Potter, is already serving two consecutive life sentences after being convicted in October 2013 of the murders. Curd agreed to a plea deal of 25 years in prison. Jenelle Potter during her murder trial in Jonesborough in 2020. I never envisioned writing a book about the case, said Brooks, who noted that he has aspired to write his entire life. Please subscribe to keep reading. Curd received a 25-year sentence on facilitation to second-degree murder charge. 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. 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. She was feeding Barbaras delusions, so Barbara ignores the signs that something is amiss here., Jenelle and Her Mom Go on Trial for the Murders. Crime risk data are updated annually. Listen to Mountain City, TN - Unfriended Facebook Murders and seventy-seven more episodes by Every Town, free! He is a graduate of Georgetown University and New York Law School and previously worked in financial securities compliance and Civil Rights employment law. The chance that a person will become a victim of a violent crime in Mountain City; such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape or murder; is 1 in 306. I walked away from that (post-conviction) hearing myself having concerns about that representation.. They kept referring to a guy Chris thats supposedly a CIA operative or something, special agent Lott said. Eventually both sides deleted each other as friends on Facebook. Allegedly, threats and bullying on Facebook and the Mountain City, TN Topix forum added fuel to the fire, which eventually led to an early morning visit to the house on James Davis Lane by Marvin Potter and Jenelles boyfriend, Jamie Curd. I think that we did it to each other. You have permission to edit this article. In a tiny town in Tennessee, a young couple are brutally shot, execution style in their home. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. A veteran of more than 100 jury trials, including 18 jury verdicts of first-degree murder, Brooks wrote when he was younger. 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. On Jan. 31, 2012, a friend of Payne and Hayworth found them dead by single gunshots to their faces. She could assume a different identity and be as hateful as she wanted to be, Brooks said. Left to right: Jamie Curd, and his attorney Casey Sears sit with Barbara Potter (foreground), Jenelle Potter and her attorney Cameron Hyder during the sentencing hearing Tuesday as Barbara Potter's attorney, Randy Fallin addresses the court.Becky Campbell. The murder occurred after months of allegations from Potter's. 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. 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Relative to Tennessee, Mountain City has a crime rate that is higher than 58% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes. After a six-day trial, the two were convicted of planning the Jan. 31, 2012, shooting deaths of Bill Payne, 36, and Billie Jean Hayworth, 23, inside that couples Johnson County home. A few months later, in October 2013, Marvin was found guilty for the murders and is currently serving two life sentences. 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. 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. The crime rate in Mountain City is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 13 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. He told Barbara, I did it. That's as close to a confession as we got from him, said Lott. feet 1 baths - beds #4 Ivy Branch Mountain Rd Creston, NC 28615 - sq. Agent Lott said, "Barbara would take this information and show it to Buddy: 'Buddy, look, look what they're trying to do to Jenelle.' If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 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. It also gives the public a better understanding of how the criminal justice system works, Brooks said. The search engine finds the neighborhoods that are the optimum fit to the set of criteria you choose. He said he was down here to protect me, protect my parents. 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. Law enforcement officials have been involved in other incidents where Potter's daughter, Jenelle Potter, thought she had been slighted by someone. Reflects 2021 calendar year; released from FBI in Oct. 2022 (latest available). This conflict, Petitioner asserts, denied her a fair trial and also constituted the ineffective assistance of counsel; B. Mr. Fallin rendered ineffective assistance of counsel at trial based on counsels other actions at trial and on appeal; C. The State withheld exculpatory evidence, in violation of its obligations under Brady v. Maryland, thus denying Petitioner due process and a fair trial.. Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. A withh. 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. When the Potter women went on trial in 2015, Marvin Potters case was still on appeal. In a major breakthrough, Curd told detectives hed been texting with a man named Chris who told him he was in the CIA and that it was his job to protect Jenelle at all costs. In previous trials, the prosecutor presented several signs of possible knowledge of the plan, such as an article Barbara reportedly emailed to herself entitled Can God Forgive a Murder? 15 days before the murders took place. Potter and Curd were arraigned Wednesday. Mountain City, TN: United States: Unemployment Rate: 5.3%: 5.5%: 6.0%: Recent Job Growth: 1.9%: 0.1 . For Jenelle Potter, she will be 86 years old when shes eligible for release. We won't share it with anyone else. I unfriended them. Listen to "39: Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders" on Spreaker. Defense attorney Scott Shults listens as attorney Grace Studer makes closing arguments in a post-conviction hearing for Barbara and Jenelle Potter in July 2021. Payne and Hayworth were shot inside their Johnson County home early that morning while Payne was getting ready for work. Download Historical Data Save as Image. rsorrell@bristolnews.com | 276-645-2531 | Twitter: @RSorrellBHC |Facebook.com/robertsorrelltn, EDITORS NOTE: Mack Crowder changed his plea to withhold of adjudication and served a period of probation, which ended in April 2018. Acrees ruling, filed Wednesday in Washington County, stated that Fallins representation of both Marvin and Barbara Potter negated Barbara Potter of a fair trial. Property Midway through her interview with "20/20," Jenelle Potter shut down in tears and walked out back to her cell. Schults reportedly told JCP that Barbara requested him to reach a deal with prosecutorsagainst his advicebecause she did not want to go through another trial. Burton girls; Twin Springs boys win 2nd straight region title, VHSL QUARTERFINALS: Floyd County (boys), Wise Central (girls), J.I. 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. Jenelle Potter had a love interest in Payne and apparently wasnt happy when he began dating Hayworth. 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. Emailus. They unfriended me," Jenelle said. Based on FBI crime data, Mountain City is not one of the safest communities in America. I dont want anybody murdered. Every Town You've got a Facebook friend request - or conversely, your friend request has been accepted - and the thrill of having a new virtual friend that may open beautiful possibilities is undeniable. The tragic slaying of Billy Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth, which involved Facebook, catfishing and jealousy, reached a national audience, and has now evolved into a true crime book written by the lead prosecutor in the infamous case. 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.
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