Jenelle Potter had an active imagination, but no one thought it would lead to a couple's 2012 double murder. OnJanuary 31, 2012, Billy Payne and his girlfriend Billie Jean Hayworth were found shot to death in their Mountain City, Tennessee, home. - Listen to 2.8. The murders of Billy Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth were incredibly senseless. The police believe that the murders stemmed from a feud that began on social media, which led to the deaths being dubbed as the Facebook Murders by the nationwide press. We respect your privacy. Agent Lott disagreed and called them masterminds. The cyber-bullying got so bad that it turned into a whole feud, with Jamie and Billy also getting involved. In 2016, Senior Judge Don Ash of Murfreesborough rejected Jenelle and Barbara's appeal for a new trial. Fallins argument at that trial was that Marvin Potter, convicted in 2013, had nothing to do with the murders. In the week following the murders, detectives also interviewed Curd and had him take a polygraph test, which he failed. For decades its 2500 residents slept soundly at night. After a 6-hour interrogation, Curd also told police that he believed Marvin, Jenelles father, had killed Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne. Not much happened in the quiet community of Mountain City, Tennessee. When investigators reached out the Potters, Jenelle claimed Payne and Hayworth had harassed her online and even hacked into her Facebook account. 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. And when she would go out with her dad, he said they were watching them together, Barbara said. Potter's parents were always overprotective and she lived a very sheltered life. The police believe that the murders stemmed from a feud that began on social media, which led to the deaths being dubbed as the Facebook Murders by the nationwide press. After a lengthy investigation, Jenelle Porter was found guilty of organizing their murders through her parents and boyfriend, Jamie Curd. Tom Cruise was honored for his nearly three decades of work as a producer, and " Everything Everywhere All at Once " solidified its status as the frontrunner for the best picture Oscar by taking the top prize at Saturday night's Producers Guild of America Awards. 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. We love you!" another Oscar favorite and one of the film's stars, Ke Huy Quan, shouted gleefully from the . Tracing Jenelles IP address, those investigating the murders had also discovered posts shed written on forums under pen-names, including one to Billie-Jean saying: F**k you and Bill and your f**king so-called little baby. She had always lived with her parents and shed never had a job. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. 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. Marvin Potter is serving his two life sentences at Whiteville Correctional Facility and he will be eligible for parole in 2132. The police believe that Marvin and Curd were convinced that the Payne and Hayworth were threatening Jenelle, so they murdered them at her behest. Are you concerned about the people you meet online? I dont want anybody murdered. In January 2012, a sleepy town in Tennessee awoke to the news of a horrifying double homicide. This could have been the end of problems but, instead, things got worse. Don't worry. 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. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The welcome sign proclaims it a friendly hometown, and there are just three shops no cinema, no mall and hardly any crime. At that point all you need to show is that conflict adversely affected your attorneys performance. In a phone call to his wife, Barbara, he would confess that he did it. Appeals and Post-Conviction Since their trials, the mother and daughter have filed several petitions while housed in the Tennessee Prison for Women in Nashville to get the convictions thrown out; all have been largely unsuccessful. [They] threatened to get [me] raped, Jenelle said. Jenelle Potter eli kontrolloitua ja yksinist elm vanhempiensa valvovan silmn alla. I remember I wrote, Please do not write on Jenelles Facebook. I begged them. Paynes throat had been slashed, but their 7-month old baby was remarkably found alive, though bloodied, alongside the couple. The baby, still in his mothers arms, was splattered in her blood but, miraculously, had survived. When they took him, they took no oxygen. Her fake identity had tricked her parents into ignoring any signs or inaccuracies, and even tricked her father into killing the couple! Counsel made no such arguments despite the evidence which was available to support the arguments. Teen Mom 2 is an American reality television series that premiered January 11, 2011 on MTV. Shatterdaymorn Plot summary Add synopsis Genres Documentary News Certificate Unrated Add content advisory Details Release date Judge Blackwood said the murders were the most senseless hed seen during his decades on the bench. Randy Fallin, defense attorney for Barbara Potter at her murder trial in 2020. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. When pressed by the interviewer about why shed catfished her parents by pretending to be Chris, she started crying and refused to answer any more questions. Jenelle said she knew who was behind the bullying. In a bizarre case chronicled on 20/20, Jenelle Potter convinced her father to kill a couple. 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. I love life and I love to make others laugh.. In tonight's episode, ABC viewers will learn about a Facebook murder that occurred in 2012. Detectives asked both Barbara and Jenelle to come to the sheriff's office to type out statements so they could compare their testimonies with the emails from "Chris.". One can read about Potter on a couple of Wiki-bio pages. In the nursery next door lay Billie-Jean, 23, shot in the head while cradling their seven-month-old son Tyler, The Sun reports. I'm not surprised either. Do you, This was definitely in IL because we are friends with, Hi. Dating online is most people's go-to way to discover their prince charming or princess of their dre Searching for someone on social media doesn't have to be hard. I walked away from that (post-conviction) hearing myself having concerns about that representation.. District lawyer Brooks says: When I got my hands on the case file and started trawling through the emails, I saw Chris name appear again and again. 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.. When Potter was 34, she became friends with Tracy . Quick Facts: Jenelle Potter Wikipedia Explored Jenelle Potter is not on Wikipedia. that a few names kept popping up during the investigation Jenelle Potter, her parents, Buddy and Barbara Potter, and Payne's cousin, Jamie Curd. According to multiple testimonies, Payne and Hayworth had recently been involved in a Facebook feud with Jenelle, who was dating Curd. ", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription. Assistant District Attorney General Dennis Brooks. Jenelle had never had a boyfriend and without a drivers license, she was dependent on her parents to get around. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Judge Blackwood said the murders were the most senseless he'd seen during his decades on the bench. Everybody says she fell in love with Bill, but I still dont see that, said Greenwell. 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. 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. In 2012, the bodies of Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne were found shot dead at their home in Mountain City, Tennessee. Jenelles sister Christie Groover, whos been estranged from the family for a decade, said Jenelle struggled to make friends growing up. The overprotective parents, Marvin and Barbara Potter, did not allow Jenelle to stay out late or drive or even have boyfriends. He told Barbara he was an old high school friend of Jenelle and he was watching over her. lol. Wed have the right to appeal that, but if a judge sets forth sound legal reasoning, its hard to win an appeal, Brooks said. The guard, Maria A. Jackson, wrote a letter dated Dec. 23, 2017, that was sent to Senior Judge Don Ash in Murfreesboro about Barbara Potter and her daughter, Jenelle Potter. However, when scary social media messages began to appear, her parents were contacted. Investigators were confused, but kept the interview moving forward in order to secure a confession. "We found a lot of [email] communications with a person named Chris. According to ABC News, Jenelle was a bit of a loner. Jenelle Potter was part of an elaborate online hoax that resulted in a double homicide. One day while picking up prescriptions, Jenelle befriended pharmacy clerk Tracy Greenwell. It turned out that Jenelle, posing as the non-existent Chris, had catfished her parents and boyfriend Jamie, in the year leading up to the murders, and had orchestrated the killings of Payne and his girlfriend without ever picking up a weapon herself. The worst part of the whole situation was that when the bodies had been discovered, their 7-month old baby son was found in the room, covered in his mothers blood but otherwise unharmed. A young couple is found murdered, execution style, their infant still alive in the mother's arms. But behind her parents backs, Jenelle and Curd would secretly spend time together. A few months later, in October 2013, Marvin was found guilty for the murders and is currently serving two life sentences. 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. Jenelle is a who lived in Mountain City, Tennesse, USA. Potter lived most of her adult life on social media. Jenelle Potter had a love interest in Payne and apparently wasnt happy when he began dating Hayworth. How does that not sound completely ridiculous? In the Potters home, police found an arsenal of different types of guns and knives, as well as ripped-up pictures of Billie-Jean and Billy, printed from their Facebook pages. Join Facebook to connect with Jenelle Potter and others you may know. Be sure to search for anyone who messages you and find out the truth about who they are. She took out her anger on his mother and her employer, Mary Yoder. She told her parents that they were bombarding her with messages and threats of rape and violence, making crank phone calls and driving past their house to intimidate her. Potter got arrested for the murder of Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne. The truth behind the Sheila Eddys case; after 16-year-old Skylar Neese sneaks out one night, her friends stab her to death; interviews include Skylar's parents, classmates, and the police;The truth behind the Sheila Eddys case; after 16-year-old Skylar Neese sneaks out one night, her friends stab her to death; interviews include Skylar's parents, classmates, and the police;The truth behind the Sheila Eddys case; after 16-year-old Skylar Neese sneaks out one night, her friends stab her to death; interviews include Skylar's parents, classmates, and the police; The truth behind the Sheila Eddys case; after 16-year-old Skylar Neese sneaks out one night, her friends stab her to death; interviews include Skylar's parents, classmates, and the police; See production, box office & company info, Self - Special Agent, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Self - Chief Deputy, Johnson County Sheriff Department. Brooks believes Jenelle was pretending to be Chris. Jenelle Potter is the woman who was part of the Facebook hoax that turned into a double homicide. 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. The 7-month-old boy survived unharmed. As the police investigated the cold-blooded murders, a pretty convoluted story of cyber-bullying, catfishing, love, and jealousy came to light. On January 31, 2012, Hayworth and Payne were found dead by a friend in their bedroom. The Brady case determined that prosecutors are required to turn over any evidence that would be in favor of the defendant. During the interview, Jenelle appeared to be hiding her romantic relationship with Curd from her parents. 2023 by Socialcatfish.com. The emails contained a "veryunusual type of writing and attitude from someone that would be a federal investigator of any sort." As the Sheriffs Department began investigating along with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent Scott Lott found several names being (repeatedly) mentioned. Jenelle Potter's attorney said she was convicted in 2015 without her father being called to testify, since he had already been convicted of firing the gun in the murder. In 2016, Senior Judge Don Ash of Murfreesborough rejected Jenelle and Barbaras appeal for a new trial. Rainfall possibly over one inch. When police raided the Potter's home they found ripped-up photos of Billy and Billy-Jean. Jamie Curd received a 25-year sentence for the part he played in this tragic incident. Jenelle Potter : The Facebook Murder. Jenelle always had poor health and suffered from a learning disability and diabetes. The young couple was in their home when they. The case took a bizarre turn when Jenelle created an online personality which she called Chris. Barbara Mae Potter, 64, and her daughter, Jenelle Leigh Potter, 35, both of Mountain City, face two counts of first-degree murder for the Jan. 31, 2012 shooting deaths of Bill Payne, 36 and Billie . All Rights Reserved. Instead of being herself, my parents tried to make her fit in. Living at home with her strict parents, Jenelle turned to the internet for connection. I didnt grow up here, Potter, 34, told 20/20. People here do not like outsiders.. She didnt interact much with the wider community and didnt have many friends in Mountain City. Because Buddy did have some health issues.. She never thought of Jenelle as being in love with Billy, though some would suggest this later. I get that theres manipulation and grooming type stuff going on, but good grief, thats pretty gullible. Greenwell felt sorry for Jenelle and her lack of social life. If you dont protect yourself, who will? His emails were full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, the same kind Jenelle herself often made.. The police arrested both Barbara and Jenelle as well. This Chris person was supposedly associated with the Central Intelligence Agency. Please be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you don't see it in your regular mail. 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. The Johnson County Sheriff's Department and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation immediately began interviewing friends and family to find out who could have wanted to murder Payne or Hayworth. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Chief Deputy Woodard said investigators found an arsenal of weapons around the home though none matched the murder weapon. After a lengthy investigation, Jenelle Porter was found guilty of organizing their murders through her parents and boyfriend, Jamie Curd. When I read this, I was devastated, Lindsay Thomas, a friend of Hayworth and Payne, told 20/20., [Jenelle] was always saying that somebody was mad at her. Tjaden only vaguely remembered Jenelle, but Jenelle had been obsessed with Chris for years. Social media allowed Jenelle Potter to be someone that she wasnt She invented Chris. We verify information to confirm if the person that you've met online is really who they say they are. Weve had enough and we want peace and no one here wants to kill anyone, but we will, she wrote in one of the emails. Janelle kind of spurred it. I think that we did it to each other. On that platform, she wasn't a loner misfit. Lott then realized that Jenelle had catfished her parents and boyfriend, by pretending to be a government official named Chris. However, Jessica Fallin, in addition to being counsels daughter, was her fathers employee. The post-conviction judge, William Acree, heard testimony for this appeal over a three-day period in July. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Jenelles Dad Admits to Being Involved in Murders. Weve had enough and we want peace and no one here wants to kill anyone, but we will, Barbara wrote. This week on Reasonable Doubt, the team takes on the Raul and Cathy Sarinana were sentenced to death for abusing Would love your thoughts, please comment. Jenelle's secret boyfriend then told investigators he and Buddy shot the couple, after a CIA operative called "Chris" told them to do it. She has curated important exhibitions that have helped studio craft to gain acceptance as fine arts. He said he couldnt use his real name, his real identity.. A jury found Barbara Potter and Jenelle Potter guilty in 2015 for playing a role in the shooting deaths of Bill Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth. However, when scary social media messages began to appear, her parents were contacted by a mysterious CIA agent, who told them what Bill Payne was really up toPatreon https://www.patreon.com/thatchapterTwitter https://twitter.com/that_chapterInstagram https://www.instagram.com/that_chapterReddit https://www.reddit.com/r/ThatChapter/Merchhttps://teespring.com/stores/that-chapterSourceshttps://pastebin.com/BkZb8rLiMusichttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD5aIDn0HlluTTOV5WWZQyUIASKu4CS6n "We love you! Law enforcement officials have been involved in other incidents where Potter's daughter, Jenelle Potter, thought she. Join Facebook to connect with Janelle Potter and others you may know. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Hayworth was dating Billy Payne, and the couple lived together with their infant son. When the police talked to Jamie while investigating the murders, Jamie asked a weird question about the CIA being there. "Talent" has been used to describe actors on commercial sets for decades. For more stories of the worst people on earth, visit our YouTube Channel . 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. Hayworth had died holding the couple's 7-month-old son Tyler, who was unharmed. I hope they die, die, die, and that baby.. Jenelle Potter is the woman who was part of the Facebook hoax that turned into a double homicide. 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