I didn't truly believe that Buddy Potter was capable of doing this, Lott said. — -- A Tennessee woman in prison for the murders of a young couple with whom she had been feuding online said she didn't want them to die. Best Places to Live in Mountain City, Tennessee 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. 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 60-year-old father is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for killing Billy Payne Jr. and his girlfriend, Billie Jean Hayworth. Daughter, mother convicted in 'Facebook murders' case asking for new Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Unfortunately in today's society, despite the fact that the officer is guilty of a crime under Title 18 USC 242, depriving a citizen of his rights "under color of law", it's unlikely that anything will happen to officer McCloud, who will remain free to intimidate citizens of Johnson County,TN and abuse his authority as he sees fit. A Johnson County man pleaded guilty to facilitation of first-degree murder in a brutal 2012 double murder Tuesday, and the mother and daughter convicted of the crimes will serve their two life. Agent Lott said, "Barbara would take this information and show it to Buddy: 'Buddy, look, look what they're trying to do to Jenelle.' Marvin Potter is accused in the shooting deaths of a couple who removed his adult daughter as a friend on the social network. But behind her parents backs, Jenelle and Curd would secretly spend time together. I never envisioned writing a book about the case, said Brooks, who noted that he has aspired to write his entire life. Social media allowed Jenelle Potter to be someone that she wasnt She invented Chris. 2021. Prosecutors believe Jenelle used the false identity to fool her parents and to goad Marvin into the killing. "I think that we did it to each other. Mr. Fallin made no effort to explain a potential conflict or obtain informed waivers from Barbara and Marvin. 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. Everybody says she fell in love with Bill, but I still dont see that, said Greenwell. Mountain City has a Livability Score of 56 /100, which is considered poor. 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. Mountain City, TN Crime Report, 2022 - HomeSnacks He is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. 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. Defense attorneys did not present any evidence, but argued that concurrent sentencing was warranted in the case. already serving two consecutive life sentences, Update-mother-daughter-receive-concurrent-life-sentences-in-2012-mountain-city-double-murder-co-conspirator-gets-25-years-photos-video. Mountain City, TN - Unfriended Facebook Murders 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. The book discusses the police investigation that Brooks said made the crime even more interesting. 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. Potters mother Barbara Potter had a job with Hewlett-Packard, and her father Marvin Potter, known as Buddy, was a former marine who served in Vietnam. No one wants to kill anyone but we will," Barbara Potter wrote in the email. The judge did not find any fault on the Brady issue, but he did grant relief on the first two issues. 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. When they impounded Marvins truck, they found bags of shredded documents, pictured above. Invalid password or account does not exist. The murder occurred after months of allegations from Potter's. Story of Mountain City Facebook murders reaches national audience in Gen. Warner Ross, Tennessee's Adjutant General, confirmed the identities of two Tennessee Army National Guard pilots killed Wednesday af. They unfriended me, Jenelle said. Eventually both sides deleted each other as friends on Facebook. The Real 'Fatal Attraction' Killer - Jennifer Reali - Colorado Springs, CO. In this photo, a rock is pictured found on the front lawn of the Potter family's home. He said he was down here to protect me, protect my parents. 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. 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. While Marvin was being questioned, police executed a search warrant on the Potter house. bcampbell@johnsoncitypress.com, One of three Facebook murder convictions overturned, mother granted new trial. An agent meticulously reconstructed more than 100 pages of what appeared to be thousands of emails sent to the Potter family. Authorities seized 51 items from the house, including their family computer. Marvin Buddy Potter husband of Barbara and father to Jenelle was also convicted of the murders. The Rules of Professional Conduct impute the actions of non-lawyers to their attorney employers. I think they would be called masterminds, said Lott. NeighborhoodScout provides exclusive crime risk analytics for every neighborhood in America with up to 98% predictive accuracy. 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. 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. She said she was the victim of anonymous cyberbullying, some of which she believes came from Hayworth. For Jenelle Potter, she will be 86 years old when shes eligible for release. Please enter valid email address to continue. Jamie Curd, Marvin Potter's friend, has also been charged in the murders. Paynes stepfather, David Garland, sent copies of a letter addressed to the acting sheriff, Mike Reece, to The Tomahawk in July 2012. Crime, My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a 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. thetomahawk.com | The Tomahawk Local News for Mountain City Tennessee Randy Fallin, defense attorney for Barbara Potter at her murder trial in 2020. Attorneys respond to 'guilty' plea, reduced sentence of - WJHL Washington County District Attorney's Office. 2 Charged In Johnson County Double Murder - Chattanoogan.com Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne were found shot dead in their home. A Crime That SHOCKED The Nation - Mary Holmes - Thatcher, AZ. But Barbara, pictured above with Marvin, didnt accept her husbands supposed confession of guilt. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. The 2019 crime rate in Mountain City, TN is 69 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 3.9 times lower than the U.S. average. They also discovered printed photos of the victim and her friends in the living room. 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. Winds light and variable. Like her husband and daughter, Barbara was sentenced to serve life in prison. Chris promised that he would have their back if they acted to protect Jenelle. Jenelle Potters convictions were upheld in a separate opinion issued by Acree. Its just not in her.. Billie Jean Hayworth was dating Billy Payne, and the couple lived together with their 7-month-old baby boy. Courtesy Tate Davis Jenelle and Her Family Adjust to Life in Mountain City January 24, 2013 / 2:29 PM Hayworth was holding their young son, but he was not injured. The release states officers found Teddy Allen Street lying on the roadway with a gunshot wound to the neck.. I wanted [them] to quit. 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. He testified in the trial that some of the photos Jenelle and her mother emailed back and forth were from the public portion of his Facebook page, but most of them were not him at all. The 7-month-old boy survived unharmed. Cost of living in Mountain City is 5% lower than the Tennessee average. The business relationship imputed to Mr. Fallin by her daughters actions was adverse to Petitioner and therefore barred by the Rules of Professional Conduct. The search engine finds the neighborhoods that are the optimum fit to the set of criteria you choose. This is about average for all cities and towns in America of all population sizes. 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. Please dont do this, Jenelles mom Barbara said. But Jenelle Potter said Chris was using her email to protect his identity. While it seemed that Jenelles social life was finally blooming, she was being relentlessly bullied online with anonymous comments appearing on her Facebook page. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). So he decided to write it down. The fourth defendant, Jamie Curd, described by prosecutors as Jenelles boyfriend, was also charged but hes worked out a plea agreement with the state in exchange for testifying against the Potter women. There were some discussions that he would testify at his wifes trial, but ultimately he did not. They took no medication. In this case, it is clear to this Court that Mr. Fallin operated under a conflict of interest based on his concurrent representation of both Petitioner and her husband. Jenelle Potter lived with her parents Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, pictured together here. Curd said Buddy picked him up and drove to a church parking lot near the Payne home. Read more. Create a password that only you will remember. ", "[My mom and Chris] would write emails all the time back and forth, and she would tell me about him, she added. However, Jessica Fallin, in addition to being counsels daughter, was her fathers employee. 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. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, 'PURPOSE IN THE PAIN' Faith, family fuels Eastside girls basketball coach Funk, VHSL HOOPS: George Wythe's Ty Campbell making his own legacy, LOCALS IN THE PROS: Mac McClung back at the G League grind, Richlands altercation under investigation, VHSL CLASS 1 BOYS: George Wythe hits 16 3s in trouncing of Twin Springs, VHSL HOOPS: Ryan Horne having senior year to remember for Twin Springs, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, REGION 1D: Fourth time the charm for J.I. Albright was initially arrested on Friday, August 14, 2020, and charged with first . There was controversy around how the Johnson County Sheriffs Office handled the murder case during the original investigation. But Jenelle said there were real threats of violence against her. Rice then asked how she wanted to plead. You have to have hard, concrete facts in court, he added. 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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. Street was pronounced dead at the scene, police report. High 57F. 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. Tenn. father charged with murdering couple who"unfriended" daughter on The NeighborhoodScout search engine is covered under US Patents No. 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. If you can show the attorney had a conflict of interest, then prejudice is presumed. He also said he never communicated by email with the women and hadnt seen Jenelle since high school. Wed have the right to appeal that, but if a judge sets forth sound legal reasoning, its hard to win an appeal, Brooks said. Barbara Potter is serving two concurrent life sentences for first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, while Marvin Potter is also serving two consecutive life sentences after being convicted in October 2013 of the murders. She was paranoid about it.. Assistant District Attorney General Dennis Brooks. He survived unharmed, though he was found covered in blood. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. 2023 Compare Cities Economy: Lakewood Park, FL vs Mountain City, TN Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. After Marvin Potter, who is known as "Buddy," was arrested for the murders, he also told police his daughter's life was being threatened. Keep an eye out for more updates on the Facebook Murders. After combing through them, it appeared there was some type of conspiracy here. How a Social Media Feud Led to the Murder of a Young - ABC News Jenelle Potter lived with her parents Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, pictured together here. 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. Assistant District Attorney Dennis Brooks will officially release Too Pretty to Live: The Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee on Tuesday by Diversion Publishing. 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. Press Senior Reporter This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I wanted the harassment to stop," Potter said. Detectives had Curd call Marvin to get a confession on tape. [They] threatened to get [me] raped, Jenelle said. 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. Washington County District Attorney's Office. I remember I wrote, Please do not write on Jenelles Facebook. I begged them. I was horrible. 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. "He was watching these people that he said were harassing her on the computer and calling her. Jenelle was accused of catfishing, or creating a fake social media account to convince her family that Payne and Hayworth were dangerous. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. Police also honed in on Jenelle and Curds text messages with each other the morning of the murders. But a feud on social media erupted and, eventually, they deleted each other as friends on Facebook. Read more about Scout's Crime Data. Curd took a plea deal of 25 years in prison. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in Mountain City. Date(s) & Update Frequency: "I did Bill first and then I think Billie did me. 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. Garland also had some harsh words for Barbara Potter, answering a question posed in one of Barbaras emails. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The book is written in the first person perspective and tells what led to the brutal murder. Crime risk indices are nationally comparable on a 1 100 scale, where 100 means safer than 100% of U.S. neighborhoods. In the last 5 years Mountain City has seen decline of violent crime and decreasing property crime. The family patriarch, Marvin Potter, is already serving two consecutive life sentences after being convicted in October 2013 of the murders. Other US patent applications are currently pending. Police had a major breakthrough in their investigation of the murders after interviewing Potter's boyfriend, Jamie Curd, who admitted to being involved in the murders and told police that Jenelle Potters father, Marvin Potter, shot Hayworth and Payne to protect his daughter from what he perceived as an imminent threat? And I unfriended her., Jenelles Former Friends Are Found Murdered. Mountain City Crime Rates and Statistics - NeighborhoodScout 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 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. Potter reportedly agreed. Mountain City, TN 37683 1,208 sq. 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. Mr. Fallin was not granted power of attorney over the Potter family assets counsels daughter Jessica was. Payne, 36, and Hayworth, 23, were killed about three years ago in their Mountain City home by Marvin Potter and Jamie Curd. He was watching these people that he said were harassing her on the computer and calling her. While being questioned by detectives, Marvin said, Ever since all this crap started, Ive had my life threatened. "He said he couldn't use his real name, his real identity," Barbara Potter said. In the upcoming months, officials will decide whether the Potter women will receive a new trial, get a chance at an appeal, or be left to serve their sentences as planned. Subscriber Verification(Must be Logged In Using Free Account). Mountain City News, Weather, Safety, Sports | NewsBreak Mountain City, TN 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. [photo credit: YouTube] "I didn't murder anyone," Jenelle Potter told ABC News' "20/20. Whats happening this weekend around the Tri-Cities? Mountain City, TN Crime Rates & Map - AreaVibes 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. In May 2015, three and a half years after the shootings, Jenelle and Barbara finally went on trial. And when she would go out with her dad, he said they were watching them together, Barbara said. Robert Littleton was. Further suggesting Mr. Fallin was more aware of his daughters activities than he insisted at the post-conviction hearing, Mr. Fallin filed a motion to quash a subpoena related to a criminal investigation of Jessica, perhaps ending any potential investigation into the Fallins involvement with the Potters finances. Mountain City Murder (Hannah Scrabble Cozy Mysteries Book 3) Kindle Edition by Marty Donnellan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 39 ratings Book 2 of 2: Hannah Scrabble Cozy Mysteries Kindle $0.00 Read with Kindle Unlimited to also enjoy access to over 1 million more titles $3.99 to buy Paperback $9.99 5 New from $9.99 The year is 1978. 18,000 local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. 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. It also gives the public a better understanding of how the criminal justice system works, Brooks said. I only have that book because of someone elses tragedy, Brooks said. The evidence was presented to the Johnson County Grand Jury and Mr. Jimmy Gale Morefield was charged with Second Degree Murder, the release reads. feet - baths - beds #5 Nc 194 S Todd, NC 28684 - sq. That's -57.88% lower than the national rate of 2,346.0 per 100,000 people and -68.79% lower than the Tennessee total crime rate of 3,165.5 per 100,000 people. The post-conviction judge, William Acree, heard testimony for this appeal over a three-day period in July. 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. Like the request in 2016, this attempt revolves around new evidence. 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. 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. Create a password that only you will remember. 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. February 3, 2023. All three Potters are serving two life sentences each for the murders. Appearing in Washington County Court on Wednesday, Barbara Potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitation of . Potter was once friendly with Payne in person, hanging out at barbecues and even going rappelling together. 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. Counsel made no such arguments despite the evidence which was available to support the arguments. 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. The murder occurred after months of allegations from Potters daughter, Jenelle Potter, and his wife, Barbara Potter, and a Facebook defriending. Now six years after the Potter women were convicted and five years after their original petition for a new trial, Marvin is speaking out. I unfriended them. Janelle kind of spurred it. Mountain City, TN: United States: Unemployment Rate: 5.3%: 5.5%: 6.0%: Recent Job Growth: 1.9%: 0.1 . I didnt grow up here, Potter, 34, told 20/20. People here do not like outsiders.. I unfriended them. 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. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Mr. Fallin asserted at the post-conviction hearing that there were no conflicting interests between Petitioner and her husband, but the testimony of the other witnesses and the evidence presented at the two trials paint a far different picture. Brooks believes Jenelle was pretending to be Chris. 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.