— -- 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. The two became an item, with Jenelle hiding her relationship from her strict parents. Attorney Scott Shults, right, talks to his client, Barbara Potter on Wednesday, July 14. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. A Crime That SHOCKED The Nation - Mary Holmes - Thatcher, AZ. ", 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. . Initially police were baffled by the crime, until they uncovered a web of lies and manipulation so bizarre it would catapult the small town into the national spotlight. Low around 35F. "Match Any Neighborhood" calculates the Match Level of one neighborhood to another using more than 200 characteristics of each neighborhood. Best Places to Live in Mountain City, Tennessee State: Tennessee County: Johnson County Metro Area: No Metro Area City: Mountain City Zip Codes: 37683 Cost of Living: -26.8% lower New! Case suggested by Linda MorganSuggested Reading: Too Pretty to Live: The Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee byJames Brooks, Written, hosted, produced by Erica KelleyResearched by Erica KelleyOriginal Graphic Art by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio, https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/pottermarvinopn_3.pdf, https://www.amazon.com/Too-Pretty-Live-Catfishing-Tennessee-ebook/dp/B01994PAE8, https://abcnews.go.com/US/social-media-feud-led-murder-young-tennessee-couple/story?id=34346840, https://www.thetomahawk.com/local-news/prison-guard-fired-writing-letter-judge-support-potter-women/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_City,_Tennessee, http://www.city-data.com/city/Mountain-City-Tennessee.html, https://www.wjhl.com/local/tenn-supreme-court-censures-assistant-carter-co-district-attorney-over-facebook-murders-book/1308165452, https://media.wjhl.com/nxs-wjhltv-media-us-east-1/document_dev/2018/07/17/brooks-44880-carter-county-lawyer-censured_1531864697067_48862486_ver1.0.pdf, https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Local/2016/08/12/Court-of-Criminal-Appeals-grants-stay-of-appeal-for-Jenelle-Potter, Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders. 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. 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. Mountain City, TN 37683 1,208 sq. Buddy and Jenelles convictions were both upheld on appeal. 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. 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. Their infant son was still cradled in his dead mother's arms. He never testified. 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. Note: Because the rates of crime are so low in America, we use "per . 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. Jenelle Potter lived with her parents Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, pictured together here. And I unfriended her.". Jenelle Potter's defense attorney Cameron Hyder said, "Jenelle Potter operates on the level of an 8- or 9-year-old.. 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. Curd's initial bond was raised to $1.5 million while Potter remains jailed on his initial $200,000 bond. (CBS/AP) MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. - An unfriendly Facebook relationship turned downright deadly in northeast Tennessee, authorities say. His letter accused Reece of damaging the prosecutions case with his public comments. She certainly could have. 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. 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 two were shot to death in their Mountain City . Cost of living in Mountain City is 5% lower than the Tennessee average. Potter and Curd were arraigned Wednesday. 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 . From time to time, Curd would visit the Potter house to fix the family computer. 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. I dont want anybody murdered. "I didn't murder anyone," Jenelle Potter told ABC News' "20/20.". Rental prices in Mountain City are 40% lower than the . Although Brooks is excited to have completed and published a book, hes still a prosecutor. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. We won't share it with anyone else. And the worst part of it their 8-month-old baby was found still lying in the arms of his dead mother. I thought lets see where this goes. I rekindled my love of writing.. I wanted the harassment to stop," Potter said. Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne were found shot dead in their home. feet 2 baths - beds #2 Old Us Highway 421 Zionville, NC 28698 1,344 sq. Mountain City, TN: United States: Unemployment Rate: 5.3%: 5.5%: 6.0%: Recent Job Growth: 1.9%: 0.1 . Police also honed in on Jenelle and Curds text messages with each other the morning of the murders. 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. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. Please subscribe to keep reading. At one point, Barbara ripped the photos that were found in what seemed to be an attempt to hide them from police. Courtesy Tate Davis Jenelle and Her Family Adjust to Life in Mountain City Brooks believes Jenelle was pretending to be Chris. Prosecutors believe Jenelle used the false identity to fool her parents and to goad Marvin into the killing. 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. 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. Paynes stepfather, David Garland, sent copies of a letter addressed to the acting sheriff, Mike Reece, to The Tomahawk in July 2012. A few months later, in October 2013, Marvin was found guilty for the murders and is currently serving two life sentences. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. And we were trying to figure out who he was. 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.. Jenelle said one of her Facebook friends, Billie Jean Hayworth, was the one behind the attacks because Hayworth was jealous of her looks. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Jenelle Potter was jealous of the couples relationship and created a CIA agent, named Chris, to get into touch with her parents, Brooks said. The tragic case rocked the entire town of Mountain City, Tennessee. 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. Jenelle spent time with Greenwell and her friends, including Greenwells brother Billy Payne. Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime. Morefield, 55, of Mountain City, has a bond set at $50,000. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Janelle kind of spurred it. The infamous double-murder was dubbed the Facebook murders after authorities said that the killings were, in part, due to an online feud that was motivated by jealousy and harassment. It was higher than in 27.8% U.S. cities. Crime, Popular Communities Near Mountain City TN. 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. You have permission to edit this article. [The text messages were] very telling about Jenelle being involved in the preparation for the killing, prosecutor Dennis Brooks told 20/20.. 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. Their infant son was still cradled in his dead mothers arms. 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. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Everybody says she fell in love with Bill, but I still dont see that, said Greenwell. All the trademarks displayed on this page are the property of Location, Inc. Marvin Potter is accused in the shooting deaths of a couple who removed his adult daughter as a friend on the social network. Please enter valid email address to continue. I think that we did it to each other. "Barbara and Janelle share the responsibility. Low 33F. 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. 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 cover of a book by Dennis Brooks entitle "Too Pretty to Live". Police later moved in and arrested Marvin in a pre-dawn raid in February 2012. 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. 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.. For more information about the book, visit www.diversionbooks.com. I never wanted them dead," Jenelle Potter, 34, told ABC News' "20/20" in an exclusive interview about the murders. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. 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. On Jan. 31, 2012, a friend of Payne and Hayworth found them dead by single gunshots to their faces. 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. Petitioner also could have argued that if she was guilty of anything, she was guilty of lesser offenses. That case focused on information revealed from Deputy District Attorney Dennis Brooks book on the case, Too Pretty to Live, the Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee. Barbara and Jenelle Potters attorneys are focusing this new request around Marvin Potters never-before-heard testimony on the chain of events. This is about average for all cities and towns in America of all population sizes. At that point all you need to show is that conflict adversely affected your attorneys performance. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. The 2019 Mountain City crime rate fell by 41% compared to 2018. Subscribe Now. He was watching these people that he said were harassing her on the computer and calling her. Jenelles father, Marvin Potter, and her boyfriend, Curd, then broke into the home of Payne and Hayworth and murdered them. Jenelle Potters convictions were upheld in a separate opinion issued by Acree. 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. I unfriended them. 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.. Their relationship went south when Hayworth began dating Payne, whom she allegedly knew Jenelle was pining for. 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. 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. The Rules of Professional Conduct impute the actions of non-lawyers to their attorney employers. Brig. Somebody wanted to kill her, Greenwell said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Start your subscription for just $5 for 3 months Subscribe. Guilty verdicts were handed out for the Potters and Curd pleaded guilty. 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. Check back later for full story on the hearing. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Assistant District Attorney Dennis Brooks will officially release Too Pretty to Live: The Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee on Tuesday by Diversion Publishing. I didnt grow up here, Potter, 34, told 20/20. People here do not like outsiders.. Said Jenelle Potter: "I didn't murder anyone.. You can cancel at any time. He survived unharmed, though he was found covered in blood. Updated annually. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and New York Law School and previously worked in financial securities compliance and Civil Rights employment law. He said he was down here to protect me, protect my parents. Violent Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Choose wisely! feet 1 baths - beds #4 Ivy Branch Mountain Rd Creston, NC 28615 - sq. Mr. Fallin made no effort to explain a potential conflict or obtain informed waivers from Barbara and Marvin. He entered that plea to facilitation to commit murder Tuesday prior to the Potter womens sentencing hearing. Partly cloudy skies. Armed with evidence that he believed proved the entire family was involved, prosecutors also charged Barbara Potter and Jenelle Potter in the killings. Furthermore, a conflict existed between counsels loyalties to Petitioner and her husband as clients and what can be described (for lack of a better phrase) as Mr. Fallins business relationship with the Potters. 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. Where is 2022 data? "I did Bill first and then I think Billie did me. The fact that Mr. Fallin failed to engage his clients in the required discussions regarding conflict of interest and waiver of the potential conflict does not, standing alone, entitle Petitioner to relief. Considering this evidence, the Court concludes Mr. Fallin operated under a conflict of interest in representing both Barbara and Marvin Potter in this case.. I didn't truly believe that Buddy Potter was capable of doing this, Lott said. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. 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. When they took him, they took no oxygen. Fallins argument at that trial was that Marvin Potter, convicted in 2013, had nothing to do with the murders. Only a few . Garland also had some harsh words for Barbara Potter, answering a question posed in one of Barbaras emails. Jamie Curd, Marvin Potter's friend, has also been charged in the murders. 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. Somebody hated her. Appearing in Washington County Court on Wednesday, Barbara Potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitation of . There was controversy around how the Johnson County Sheriffs Office handled the murder case during the original investigation. Marvin Potter said he shot Payne accidentally, but intentionally slit the mans throat because of the threats Potter believed Payne had made toward Jenelle. 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. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Marvin Potter (left) and Jamie Curd (right), are both accused of killing a couple who unfriended Potter's adult daughter on Facebook, Ben Renick case: World-renowned snake breeder murdered, The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh, Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying. The 7-month-old boy survived unharmed. Because we knew that they had trouble with [Hayworth and Payne], Woodard told 20/20.. The Brady case determined that prosecutors are required to turn over any evidence that would be in favor of the defendant. Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders Southern Fried True Crime Podcast Episode 39 Description In a tiny town in Tennessee, a young couple are brutally shot, execution style in their home. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. In August 2013, authorities arrested Jenelle and Barbara for the murders of Payne and Hayworth. "I think that we did it to each other. Jenelle Potter's mother, Barbara Potter, told "20/20" that Chris told her in emails that he was watching her family's every move and was monitoring what Payne and Hayworth were allegedly saying on social media about her daughter. And when she would go out with her dad, he said they were watching them together, Barbara said.
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