In one incident, police photographed a rock, pictured above, that was found in the Potters front yard with the names Billy Payne and Billie Jean written on it. He had dogs. He pleaded guilty to facilitation to commit murder Tuesday prior to the Potter womens sentencing hearing. You have to have hard, concrete facts in court, he added. A veteran of more than 100 jury trials, including 18 jury verdicts of first-degree murder, Brooks wrote when he was younger. 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. 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. 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. I did not do that," Barbara Potter told ABC News' "20/20. 2021. "I emailed him through my email, and I said, you know, 'How'd you get my screenname, password?' 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. While Marvin was being questioned, police executed a search warrant on the Potter house. According to the most recent data from the FBI, the total crime rate in Mountain City is 988.1 per 100,000 people. 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. [Jenelle said] she wished that Bill and Billie Jean and that damn baby would die. Brooks believes Jenelle was pretending to be Chris. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Press Senior Reporter In May 2015, three and a half years after the shootings, Jenelle and Barbara finally went on trial. If you can show the attorney had a conflict of interest, then prejudice is presumed. It took a lot of work to get here and I truly believe that she could have had a better outcome at trial. I unfriended them. 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.. "I didn't murder anyone," Jenelle Potter told ABC News' "20/20.". Please subscribe to keep reading. NeighborhoodScout provides exclusive crime risk analytics for every neighborhood in America with up to 98% predictive accuracy. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Mountain City is 1 in 76. Chief Deputy Woodard said investigators found an arsenal of weapons around the home though none matched the murder weapon. Appearing in Washington County Court on Wednesday, Barbara Potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitation of first-degree murder in the 2012 killings of Billy Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth, Johnson City Pressreported. I wanted [them] to quit. Mountain City, Tennessee (TN 37683) profile: population, maps, real They also discovered printed photos of the victim and her friends in the living room. We won't share it with anyone else. Jenelle Potter said she had trouble making friends when she lived in Mountain City, Tenn. Jenelle Potter, left, and Jamie Curd, right, started dating after Tracy Greenwell set them up. Story of Mountain City Facebook murders reaches national audience in The Mountain City TN murder/homicide rate for 2015 was 0 per 100,000 population, a NAN% decline from 2014. 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. The book is written in the first person perspective and tells what led to the brutal murder. 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. Hayworth died while holding her 7-month-old baby boy. 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! Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. 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. I was horrible. Have a tip or story idea? The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Potter lived most of her adult life on social media. Other US patent applications are currently pending. She was thinking of that and of wanting to accept her fault in what actually occurred., [image via Johnson County Sheriffs Office], Have a tip we should know? And we were trying to figure out who he was. Jenelle Potter lived with her parents Barbara Potter and Marvin Potter, pictured together here. 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. Jenelle Potter during her murder trial in Jonesborough in 2020. 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. She did want to go in there and plead guilty, Schults told the paper. You have permission to edit this article. Street was pronounced dead at the scene, police report. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. When they impounded Marvin Potter's truck, police also found several plastic bags of shredded emails that an agent put back together. Mountain City, TN: United States: Unemployment Rate: 5.3%: 5.5%: 6.0%: Recent Job Growth: 1.9%: 0.1 . Partly cloudy skies. The murder occurred after months of allegations from Potters daughter, Jenelle Potter, and his wife, Barbara Potter, and a Facebook defriending. A feud erupted on social media with Curd, Paynes cousin, taking Jenelles side. The 38-year-old Curd reportedly had a romantic interest in Janelle Potter. Rental prices in Mountain City are 40% lower than the . "I did Bill first and then I think Billie did me. 39: Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders - Spreaker The tragic case rocked the entire town of Mountain City, Tennessee. 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. I dont want anybody murdered. Trial counsel H. Randolph Fallin operated under a conflict of interest resulting from his representing both Petitioner and her husband, Marvin Buddy Potter. Mountain City, TN - AreaVibes According to a release from the Mountain City Police Department, officers were called to the 300 block of Industrial Drive on November 14, 2020. Garland also had some harsh words for Barbara Potter, answering a question posed in one of Barbaras emails. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Listen to Mountain City, TN - Unfriended Facebook Murders and seventy-seven more episodes by Every Town, free! Curd agreed to a plea deal of 25 years in prison. 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. 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. Copyright 2000-2023 Location Inc. To have that opportunity was important to her. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. Morefield reportedly told investigators that the shooting was in self-defense. Mountain City, TN 37683 1,208 sq. 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. For more information about the book, visit www.diversionbooks.com. I dont want people to think, Hes just prosecuting the case to write another book, said Brooks, who does not know whether hell ever write another book. But Potter, who lived at home with her strict parents and spent most of her adult social life on social media, denies this. The case was dubbed the Facebook murders because Jenelle Potter was unfriended by Payne and Hayworth on the social media site. feet - baths - beds #6 Osborne Road Lansing, NC 28643 Mountain City, TN Crime & Safety City Home Local News The Tomahawk Court dismisses first-degree murder case against Butler man A criminal case against David Lee Albright, 71, of Butler, was dismissed by First Judicial District Court Judge Lisa Nidiffer Rice on Friday, February 3, 2023. Janelle kind of spurred it. (CBS/AP) MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. - An unfriendly Facebook relationship turned downright deadly in northeast Tennessee, authorities say. If you can show trial counsel had a conflict of interest, then you didnt have independent representation. I unfriended them. February 3, 2023. Paynes stepfather, David Garland, sent copies of a letter addressed to the acting sheriff, Mike Reece, to The Tomahawk in July 2012. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. 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 . High 57F. Barbara got it to happen," agent Lott said. 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 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. 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. Police: Man charged with second-degree murder after November shooting They took no medication. Counsel made no such arguments despite the evidence which was available to support the arguments. For Jenelle Potter, she will be 86 years old when shes eligible for release. Where is 2022 data? A withh. Now six years after the Potter women were convicted and five years after their original petition for a new trial, Marvin is speaking out. Wed have the right to appeal that, but if a judge sets forth sound legal reasoning, its hard to win an appeal, Brooks said. 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. I didnt murder anyone, Jenelle, pictured in jail above, told 20/20., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. And if I have to forgive any of youns to stay out of hell, Ill see you there, Garland said. When she invented Chris, she could assume a different identity and be as hateful as she wanted to be.". A few months later, in October 2013, Marvin was found guilty for the murders and is currently serving two life sentences. I didn't truly believe that Buddy Potter was capable of doing this, Lott said. She certainly could have. Best Places to Live | Compare cost of living, crime, cities, schools and more. Tenn. father charged with murdering couple who"unfriended" daughter on Violent Mountain City, TN - Unfriended Facebook Murders First published on January 24, 2013 / 2:29 PM. Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne were found shot dead in their home. You can cancel at any time. 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. He survived unharmed, though he was found covered in blood. 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. 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. I think that we did it to each other. I only have that book because of someone elses tragedy, Brooks said. Choose wisely! appearing in washington county court on wednesday, barbara potter, 69, pleaded guilty to two counts of . 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. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. Story of Mountain City Facebook murders reaches national audience in book, tv special. Buddy and Jenelles convictions were both upheld on appeal. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. And the worst part of it their 8-month-old baby was found still lying in the arms of his dead mother. Jenelle Potter said her father became more protective with her because of the alleged threats she was receiving. The couple was killed in their home on January 31, 2012. Blackwood told Curd there was no guarantee the parole board would agree to grant his release that quickly. Facebook Murders revisited: "I did that on purpose" | News 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. Mountain City Crime and Safety | NewsBreak Mountain City, TN How a Social Media Feud Led to the Murder of a Young - ABC News I just disliked them. Jenelle Potter: ABC '20/20 Takes Look At Facebook Murder Of Mountain 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. Police also honed in on Jenelle and Curds text messages with each other the morning of the murders. Robert Littleton was. [emailprotected]. Jenelle Potter, pictured above, said she had trouble making friends when she moved to Mountain City, Tennessee, in 2005. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. She said she was the victim of anonymous cyberbullying, some of which she believes came from Hayworth. He was tried in 2013, while his wife and daughter were tried together in 2015. Curd was sentenced to 25 years in prison and will be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent. 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. Hayworth was holding their young son, but he was not injured. Mountain City, TN - Unfriended Facebook Murders From Every Town 0 0 29 minutes Description 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. 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. The 7-month-old boy survived unharmed. He said he couldnt use his real name, his real identity.. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. 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. The family patriarch, Marvin Potter, was already serving two consecutive life sentences after being convicted in October 2013 of the murders. He also said he never communicated by email with the women and hadnt seen Jenelle since high school. Crime risk indices are nationally comparable on a 1 100 scale, where 100 means safer than 100% of U.S. neighborhoods. Posing as Chris, Jenelle reportedly convinced Barbara that the CIA had sent an agent to Mountain City to protect Jenelle from Hayworth and Payne. Mountain City, TN - Unfriended Facebook Murders But Jenelle Potter said Chris was using her email to protect his identity. 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. Mountain City has a Livability Score of 56 /100, which is considered poor. They unfriended me, Jenelle said. Date(s) & Update Frequency: Choose wisely! Only a few . Authorities seized 51 items from the house, including their family computer. Create a password that only you will remember. 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. All three Potters are serving two life sentences each for the murders. Whats happening this weekend around the Tri-Cities? The Rules of Professional Conduct impute the actions of non-lawyers to their attorney employers. 8,376,755. Mr. Fallin was not granted power of attorney over the Potter family assets counsels daughter Jessica was. Acrees ruling, filed Wednesday in Washington County, stated that Fallins representation of both Marvin and Barbara Potter negated Barbara Potter of a fair trial. And, finally, they just pushed him to his limit where he couldn't take it anymore.. The 2019 Mountain City crime rate fell by 41% compared to 2018. 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. Curd's initial bond was raised to $1.5 million while Potter remains jailed on his initial $200,000 bond. 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. Prosecutors believe Jenelle used the false identity to fool her parents and to goad Marvin into the killing. 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. feet - baths - beds #5 Nc 194 S Todd, NC 28684 - sq. 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. Select your ideal criteria and let Scout do the rest. Property 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. Crime, Popular Communities Near Mountain City TN. 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. She could assume a different identity and be as hateful as she wanted to be, Brooks said. bcampbell@johnsoncitypress.com, One of three Facebook murder convictions overturned, mother granted new trial. But a feud on social media erupted and, eventually, they deleted each other as friends on Facebook. At that point all you need to show is that conflict adversely affected your attorneys performance. Hayworth died while holding her 7-month-old baby boy. The prosecutor noted that the case is layered and the subjects are compelling. 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. Brooks claims Marvins testimony is full of red flags that contradict the evidence. 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 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. Recommended for you - Johnson City Press Law enforcement officials have been involved in other incidents where Potter's daughter, Jenelle Potter, thought she had been slighted by someone. Jenelle Potter was jealous of the couples relationship and created a CIA agent, named Chris, to get into touch with her parents, Brooks said. 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. So he decided to write it down. One of 6 charged with murder of North Carolina man convicted in - WCYB By Becky Campbell 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. 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. Based on FBI crime data, Mountain City is not one of the safest communities in America. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and New York Law School and previously worked in financial securities compliance and Civil Rights employment law. Although Brooks is excited to have completed and published a book, hes still a prosecutor. There were some discussions that he would testify at his wifes trial, but ultimately he did not. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Listen to "39: Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders" on Spreaker. Potter had a crush on Payne and wanted him and Hayworth dead after they moved in together and had a child, according to prosecutors. 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. / CBS News. "Match Any Neighborhood" calculates the Match Level of one neighborhood to another using more than 200 characteristics of each neighborhood. 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. Check back later for full story on the hearing. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 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. Winds light and variable. The business relationship imputed to Mr. Fallin by her daughters actions was adverse to Petitioner and therefore barred by the Rules of Professional Conduct. One of three Facebook murder convictions overturned, mother granted new Assistant District Attorney Dennis Brooks will officially release Too Pretty to Live: The Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee on Tuesday by Diversion Publishing. 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. Catfishing in Mountain City, TN: The Facebook Murders Southern Fried Mountain City real estate prices are 10% lower than the Tennessee average. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Chris promised that he would have their back if they acted to protect Jenelle. He told Barbara, I did it. That's as close to a confession as we got from him, said Lott.