2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mountain City real estate prices are 10% lower than the Tennessee average. Their relationship went south when Hayworth began dating Payne, whom she allegedly knew Jenelle was pining for. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Prosecutors believe Jenelle used the false identity to fool her parents and to goad Marvin into the killing. She could assume a different identity and be as hateful as she wanted to be, Brooks said. 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. "I emailed him through my email, and I said, you know, 'How'd you get my screenname, password?' 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. 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. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. 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. Listen to 39: Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders, an episode of Southern Fried True Crime, easily on Podbay - the best podcast player on the web. Jenelle Potter lived with her parents Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, pictured together here. She certainly could have. Potter and Curd were arraigned Wednesday. A Crime That SHOCKED The Nation - Mary Holmes - Thatcher, AZ. Because we knew that they had trouble with [Hayworth and Payne], Woodard told 20/20.. Mountain City crime rates are 69% lower than the Tennessee average. Violent Brig. "He was watching these people that he said were harassing her on the computer and calling her. When they impounded Marvins truck, they found bags of shredded documents, pictured above. That sentence is also concurrent to her life sentences. When they took him, they took no oxygen. I just disliked them. By being able to show conflict of interest, we were able to show ineffective assistance of counsel.. Midway through her interview with "20/20," Jenelle Potter shut down in tears and walked out back to her cell. Agent Lott then arranged for Marvin to call his wife Barbara. A feud erupted on social media with Curd, Paynes cousin, taking Jenelles side. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. He said he couldnt use his real name, his real identity.. 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. Create a password that only you will remember. So he decided to write it down. But Jenelle said there were real threats of violence against her. "We've had enough. 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. Hayworth was holding their young son, but he was not injured. "I don't want anybody murdered. 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. Choose wisely! Have a tip or story idea? Authorities seized 51 items from the house, including their family computer. Like her husband and daughter, Barbara was sentenced to serve life in prison. Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne were found shot dead in their home. But Barbara, pictured above with Marvin, didnt accept her husbands supposed confession of guilt. Acrees ruling, filed Wednesday in Washington County, stated that Fallins representation of both Marvin and Barbara Potter negated Barbara Potter of a fair trial. 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.. I did that on purpose, Marvin testified about slitting Paynes throat in his confession at the post-conviction hearing. And we were trying to figure out who he was. I wanted the harassment to stop," Potter said. 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. The CIA agent Chris had apparently been corresponding with Barbara and warning her about threats to her daughters life. 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.. (CBS/AP) MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. - An unfriendly Facebook relationship turned downright deadly in northeast Tennessee, authorities say. Potter was found guilty in May of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder for the 2012 shooting deaths of Billie Jean Hayworth, 23, and Billy Payne, 36. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Curd's initial bond was raised to $1.5 million while Potter remains jailed on his initial $200,000 bond. They unfriended me," Jenelle said. Create a password that only you will remember. Barbara got it to happen," agent Lott said. 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. 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: After Marvin Potter, who is known as "Buddy," was arrested for the murders, he also told police his daughter's life was being threatened. Crime, Popular Communities Near Mountain City TN. This is about average for all cities and towns in America of all population sizes. Please subscribe to keep reading. Wed have the right to appeal that, but if a judge sets forth sound legal reasoning, its hard to win an appeal, Brooks said. 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. ", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. For Jenelle Potter, she will be 86 years old when shes eligible for release. 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.. 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. In a tiny town in Tennessee, a young couple are brutally shot, execution style in their home. According to the most recent data from the FBI, the total crime rate in Mountain City is 988.1 per 100,000 people. Low 33F. 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. I was horrible. Billie Jean Hayworth was dating Billy Payne, and the couple lived together with their 7-month-old baby boy. 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. Jenelle Potter had a love interest in Payne and apparently wasnt happy when he began dating Hayworth. And on the Potters computer, police analysis found that hundreds of emails sent from the CIA agent Chris all came from the same IP address as the home where the Potters lived. Mr. Fallin made no effort to explain a potential conflict or obtain informed waivers from Barbara and Marvin. 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. She did want to go in there and plead guilty, Schults told the paper. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. Barbara Potters post-conviction attorney, Scott Shults, successfully argued that his clients trial attorney, Randy Fallin, was deficient in representing her because he also had represented Marvin Potter. 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. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Yeah, youre going to hell. It appears to this Court that Jessica Fallin exploited the lack of a written fee agreement between the Potters and Mr. Fallin, counsels lack of direct supervision over his daughters actions, and the Potters preoccupation with their legal issues to sell Potter family property (at least some of which was done in Mr. Fallins office) and otherwise appropriate Potter family finances to the tune of approximately $300,000 during the life of Mr. Fallins representation of the family. I remember I wrote, Please do not write on Jenelles Facebook. I begged them. Invalid password or account does not exist. 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. Read more about Scout's Crime Data. Appearing in Washington County Court on Wednesday, Barbara Potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitation of . 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. The family patriarch, Marvin Potter, is already serving two consecutive life sentences after being convicted in October 2013 of the murders. The business relationship imputed to Mr. Fallin by her daughters actions was adverse to Petitioner and therefore barred by the Rules of Professional Conduct. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Curd agreed to a plea deal of 25 years in prison. 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. Our nationwide meta-analysis overcomes the issues inherent in any crime database, including non-reporting and reporting errors. 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. appearing in washington county court on wednesday, barbara potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of . Mountain City is located just a few miles from both the Virginia and North Carolina state lines. feet 2 baths - beds #2 Old Us Highway 421 Zionville, NC 28698 1,344 sq. The two were shot to death in their Mountain City . "He said he couldn't use his real name, his real identity," Barbara Potter said. Social media allowed Jenelle Potter to be someone that she wasnt She invented Chris. 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. At that point all you need to show is that conflict adversely affected your attorneys performance. Tennessee National Guard names soldiers in fatal helicopter crash. 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. It also gives the public a better understanding of how the criminal justice system works, Brooks said. Jenelle Potter lived with her parents Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, pictured together here. It took a lot of work to get here and I truly believe that she could have had a better outcome at trial. Invalid password or account does not exist. 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. Mountain City, TN 37683 1,208 sq. I was a bad person. A gruesome execution style double murder of a young couple shakes a small mountain community in Eastern Tennessee. Barbara Potter released a statement after her sentencing saying she hopes justice will one day prevail and her innocence be proven. 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 he had testified while his case was on appeal, that would have upset that process because at his wife and daughters post-conviction hearing, he did testify. Winds light and variable.. Clear skies. 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. It was higher than in 27.8% U.S. cities. {{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. In May 2015, three and a half years after the shootings, Jenelle and Barbara finally went on trial. Jamie Lynn Curd, 38, of 2358 Pleasant Valley Road, Mountain City, Tn., and Marvin "Buddy" Potter, Jr., 60, of 727 Hospital Road, Mountain City, Tn., were both charged overnight with two counts . Mountain City, TN: United States: Unemployment Rate: 5.3%: 5.5%: 6.0%: Recent Job Growth: 1.9%: 0.1 . Payne, 36, and Hayworth, 23, were killed about three years ago in their Mountain City home by Marvin Potter and Jamie Curd. 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. "I didn't hate [Hayworth and Payne]. At that time, Reeces only statement was that he would not respond to the letter in question. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. "We have been using NeighborhoodScout data from Location Inc. for over 5 years. On Jan. 31, 2012, a friend of Payne and Hayworth found them dead by single gunshots to their faces. You have permission to edit this article. Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood said the crime was the most bizarre thing hes seen in his career as as judge, but that concurrent sentences virtually guarantees the women will never be released. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 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. Check back later for full story on the hearing. feet 1 baths 3 beds #3 Highway 133 Shady Valley, TN 37688 1,120 sq. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. 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. 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. We won't share it with anyone else. I think they would be called masterminds, said Lott. NewsBreak provides latest and breaking Mountain City, TN local news, weather forecast, crime and safety reports, traffic updates, event notices, sports, entertainment, local life and other items of interest in the community and nearby towns. A few months later, in October 2013, Marvin was found guilty for the murders and is currently serving two life sentences. At one point, Barbara ripped the photos that were found in what seemed to be an attempt to hide them from police. The family patriarch, Marvin Potter, was already serving two consecutive life sentences after being convicted in October 2013 of the murders. NeighborhoodScout provides exclusive crime risk analytics for every neighborhood in America with up to 98% predictive accuracy. Property The statement also said Buddy Potter was innocent and that it was Curd who planned and carried out the murders. They took no medication. 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.. We won't share it with anyone else. Crime risk data are updated annually. Jenelle Potter said she had trouble making friends when she lived in Mountain City, Tenn. Other US patent applications are currently pending. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. Because Buddy did have some health issues.. I unfriended them. I did not do that," Barbara Potter told ABC News' "20/20. By Becky Campbell Assistant District Attorney Dennis Brooks will officially release Too Pretty to Live: The Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee on Tuesday by Diversion Publishing. A veteran of more than 100 jury trials, including 18 jury verdicts of first-degree murder, Brooks wrote when he was younger. Defense attorneys did not present any evidence, but argued that concurrent sentencing was warranted in the case. . I walked away from that (post-conviction) hearing myself having concerns about that representation.. When the Potter women went on trial in 2015, Marvin Potters case was still on appeal. Randy Fallin, defense attorney for Barbara Potter at her murder trial in 2020. ", Prosecutor Dennis Brooks told "20/20" that social media allowed Jenelle Potter to be someone that she wasn't.
Revolutionary War Veteran Interview,
Warframe Gyromag Systems Farm 2021,
Murray Hebert Fishn More Gender,
How To Change Spotify Widget Playlist,
Articles M