Primal Instinct Premiered ‘Catfish Killer’ on Investigation Discovery: Jenelle, Barbara & Marvin Potter Serving Two Life Sentences for Facebook Murders (July 5, 2018)

ID Go: In a small Tennessee town, Jenelle Potter has few friends. When her attraction to one of them isn’t mutual, she is ostracized and feels threatened. Then a shadowy figure guides her family into a dark plot with a twisted ending no one saw coming. -Catfish Killer, Primal Instinct (S1, E4)

Date: January 31, 2012
Victims: Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne
Offenders: Jenelle Potter, Barbara Potter, Marvin Potter, Marine Corp veteran
Location: Mountain City, Tennessee
Circumstances: Jenelle Potter catfished her parents Barbara and Marvin and led them to believe she was in danger, she posed as a CIA agent and manipulated Marvin Potter to kill Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne after they unfriended her on Facebook
Disposition: Jenelle and Barbara Potter were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and given two life sentences; Marvin Potter plead guilty to murder and was given two life sentences

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. Download the ID Go app and binge away. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.

In the News:

Part 1: Living at home with her parents, Jenelle Potter spent most of her adult life on social media. -ABC News

Part 2: A friend found Bille Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne dead with single gunshot wounds to their faces. -ABC News

5 Dark & Twisted Catfish Stories. -FactFaction

Investigation Discovery:

ID Go: A young couple is found murdered, execution style, their infant still alive in the mother’s arms. As police investigate, the story takes a shocking turn when the admitted shooter claims this was a sanctioned hit ordered by a rogue CIA agent. -To Pretty to Live, Investigation Discovery (S1, E1)

USA Network:

In Tennessee, a family is driven to despair when their daughter Jenelle becomes the target of social media bullying. When two of Jenelle’s tormentors are found dead, the police uncover a bizarre web of assumed identities and mental manipulation. -The Sinner

Oxygen:

Jenelle Potter’s attorney, her sister, and others discuss the case after the verdict. -Killer Post, Oxygen

Jenelle Potter claimed that her Facebook account was hacked. -Criminal Confessions, Oxygen

Podcasts:

A young mother is shot to death while she clutches her 7-month old baby. Her husband lies executed in the next room. This isn’t the story of a Hollywood drama, but the tragic end to an average Tennessee working class family. Billie Jean Hayworth and her husband Billy Payne were going about their normal weekday morning routine when they were senselessly and violently murdered. The events that led to that morning are inexplicable, fueled by the petty ignorance of a woman who used social media to manipulate and hurt people. We’re taking a look at the catfishing murders of East Tennessee in this episode of True Crime Brewery: Unfriended. Settle in for a twisted tale of senseless murder, jealousy, and cruelty beyond what most of us could ever imagine. -True Crime Brewery

Related Links:
Web of Death!
Accused Facebook killer has local ties
Stolen Valor Marine charged with double FACEBOOK murder in my hometown
Murdered over a Facebook snub: Dad guns down couple who deleted his daughter on social network
Tennessee father murders couple after pair had deleted his adult daughter as friend on Facebook, authorities say
Facebook “defriending” led to double murder, police say
Motive in double murder centers around de-friending on Facebook
Facebook Defriending Leads to Double Murder: Cops
What Does The Facebook Double Homicide Say About The Dark Side Of Social Media?
Murder investigation continues, court documents reveal tumultuous history
State closes in on Potter women
Tenn. father charged with murdering couple who”unfriended” daughter on Facebook
Woman posing as CIA agent convinces parents to kill Facebook friends
Testimony begins in Facebook ‘unfriending’ murder trial
Testimony begins in Facebook ‘unfriending’ murder trial
Testimony begins in Facebook ‘unfriending’ murder trial
Witness for the prosecution: Woman testifies against mother, sister in ‘Facebook murders’ trial
‘I never wished them dead’: Weeping killer begs for forgiveness over elaborate ‘catfish’ where she posed as a male CIA agent and encouraged the murder of a young couple
East Tennessee jury convicts women in Facebook slayings
East Tenn. mom, daughter convicted in slaying over Facebook unfriending
Guilty on all counts in Potter double-murder trial
Mother, daughter serve 2 life sentences in Tenn. Facebook murders
TN women convicted in Facebook slayings want new trial
Potter women to serve two life sentences; third person pleads guilty to role in Facebook murders
Marvin Potter sentenced to two life sentences for double murder
Potter guilty on two counts of First Degree Murder
Court of Criminal Appeals grants stay of appeal for Jenelle Potter
State of Tennessee vs. Marvin Potter, Jr. (2016)
Prosecutor writes book on Mountain City Facebook murders
Facebook murders documented in true crime book written by prosecutor
Story of Mountain City Facebook murders reaches national audience in book, tv special
Mountain City slayings case gets new prosecutor, new judge, new court date
Lawyer’s book about ‘Facebook Murders’ earns censure from TN Supreme Court
Prosecutor Censured for Book About Facebook Slayings
TDOC employee accused of meddling with Facebook murders case
Prison guard fired for letter on behalf of women convicted in ‘Facebook murders’
Convicted Tennessee Woman Denies Wanting Couple Dead After Social Media Feud
How a Social Media Feud Led to the Murder of a Young Tennessee Couple
‘Too pretty to live’: How a woman convinced her parents and boyfriend to kill ‘Facebook bullies’
Woman Impersonates CIA Agent to Convince Boyfriend, Parents to Murder Couple
Evil daughter tricked parents into murder
Prosecutor Censured for Book About Facebook Slayings
Facebook De-Friending Results in Double Murder
The Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee: Woman Poses as Male CIA Operative
Couple Murdered for ‘Unfriending’ Woman On Facebook
Jenelle Potter: ABC ’20/20′ Takes Look At Facebook Murder Of Mountain City, Tennessee Couple Who Unfriended Woman
Social Media Feuds That Escalated To Offline Murders
6 Murderers That Posted Their Kills On Facebook

YouTube:
Defense attorneys for women at center of “Facebook murders” ask for new trial
Defense attorneys in “Facebook murders” say new evidence revealed in prosecutor’s book warrants new trial
TDOC employee accused of meddling with Facebook murders case
Sullivan County District Attorney taking over “Facebook murders” case
TN appeals court upholds Marvin Potter’s conviction in Facebook killings
Tennessee Woman Claims She’s Victim of Online Threats to Her Life
Young Couple Found Murdered With Baby Alive, Covered in Blood
Unfriended: The Catfish Murders of Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne
Episode 23: Jenelle Potter | Moms and Murder | A Podcast
Episode 23: Jenelle Potter | Moms and Murder | A Podcast
Jenelle Potter | Sword and Scale Episode 62 | Podcast
10: Jenelle Potter and the Facebook of Lies and Creepy Carl’s Corpse | Darkest Corners Podcast
The Sinner | Famous Murders Bizarre Motives: Jenelle Potter | USA Network
Criminal Confessions: Was Jenelle Potter Hacked? – Preview (Season 2, Episode 1) | Oxygen
#killerpost: After the Verdict Episode 1 – Payne and Potter | Oxygen
To Pretty to Live | Investigation Discovery (S1, E1)
Catfish Killer | Primal Instinct | Investigation Discovery (S1, E4)
Catfish Killer | Primal Instinct | Investigation Discovery (website)
5 Dark & Twisted Catfish Stories

A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (June 2018)

June 2018

Missing:
Disappeared: Stacy McCall, Suzie Streeter, and Sherrill Levitt are ‘The Springfield Three’ who Vanished from Levitt’s Missouri Home on June 7, 1992
Friends, family of missing UMass nursing student Maura Murray hope funds will lead to answers

Cold Cases:
Family wants justice for Army vet found shot to death in driveway
Authorities Have Cracked a Bizarre Cold Case That Could Have Ties to the Zodiac Killer
48 Hours Premiered ’48 Hours Cold Case: Who Killed Amy Gellert?’ on CBS (June 17, 2017)

Fugitives:
Reward Offered for Armed & Dangerous Fugitive: Army Recruiter John Blauvelt Wanted for Allegedly Murdering Estranged Wife in South Carolina (2017)

Continue reading “A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (June 2018)”

Oxygen Premiered ‘In Defense Of Timothy McVeigh’: Convicted Oklahoma City Bomber Executed by Feds in 2001 for Terrorism (June 25, 2018)

Full Episode: Defense attorneys, Chris Tritico and Stephen Jones, detail their time representing Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in his capital murder trial and their efforts to spare him the death penalty. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Date: April 19, 1995
Victims: Oklahoma City bombing left 168 people dead and hundreds more injured
Offender: Timothy McVeigh, Army veteran
Location: Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Circumstances: Accused Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh was the most hated man in Ok City, he was demonized by the public and in the media, Stephen Jones and Chris Tritico were assigned as his defense attorneys, 25 young children died in the explosion and this weighed heavily on the defense attorneys, there was a lot of pressure defending McVeigh in a capital murder case because he was facing the death penalty, McVeigh was in federal prison in Englewood, Colorado while awaiting trial, TM was coherent and aware of his surroundings and circumstances, he wasn’t the crazy person the attorneys were expecting, he was charged in federal court for a weapons of mass destruction charge and multiple first degree murder charges, TM would not even look at an insanity defense, he initially wanted to plead guilty but the law did not allow it, TM was the boy next door although his parents had a difficult marriage, TM hated bullies because he was bullied in school, after high school, he joined the military, won the Army commendation medal, the bronze star, he was on the General’s staff, he got orders for special operations school but he was out of shape, he quit after three days and this ended his military career, that began the spiral in TM’s life, he started going around the country selling guns at gun shows, he was concerned about the federal government taking over their lives, when the 51 day Waco siege occurred in February 1993, he really became concerned about federal government overreach, TM said he went there and saw the government throw fire incendiary devices into the house and burned it down, he thought the government committed outrageous crimes against the Branch Davidian compound, this act set in motion the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City because that office planned the majority of the siege on Waco, one hour after the bombing, Tim was stopped for not having a license plate, the police officer wrote him a ticket, he found a weapon, TM was placed in jail, meanwhile an investigator found a VIN on a part from the Ryder truck and they traced it back to the rental agency, they created a police sketch based on the description of the man who rented the Ryder truck, someone recognized the sketch at a hotel and it traced back to Timothy McVeigh, he was arrested for the Oklahoma City bombing, President Bill Clinton announced the feds would seek the death penalty, the government had to prove these crimes beyond a reasonable doubt in order to execute him, defense couldn’t use the ‘necessity defense’ because TM murdered children, the government claimed only TM was involved, eventually Army veteran Terry Nichols was arrested for conspiracy in the Ok City bombing, he was in the same platoon in the Army as TM, it added a new person in the conspiracy, the defense used the arrest of Terry Nichols to prove that Terry was involved in the bombing and TM was not but Terry constructed a series of events that gave him an alibi on the day of the bombing, TM’s consistent theme was he did not want anyone else blamed for the bombing, he admitted to how he constructed the bomb and he wanted to take sole responsibility for the act, but the attorneys did not believe that he acted alone, they suspected Terry Nichols and others were involved, TM decided he wanted to go out as the mastermind, then someone stole some documents from one of the attorneys and leaked them to the media, the media printed that TM wanted people to die to pay for the oppression of the government and get their attention, Dallas Morning News broke the story, they learned a defense team member was the one who leaked the documents, he didn’t do it for money, he thought TM’s attorneys would get him off the charges, TM lost trust in his attorneys three weeks before the trial, he refused to meet with the attorneys initially but he agreed to meet with Chris Tritico only, the attorneys were concerned that 6 weeks wasn’t enough time to prepare for a death penalty trial, during trial, one of the witnesses saw someone get out of the Ryder truck and it wasn’t TM, almost immediately after this, the bomb went off, the defense used forensics to show there was no forensic evidence tying TM to the bomb or bombing, their job was to create reasonable doubt, there was an extra leg found and the body had not been identified, this could be the man the witness observed, an existence of another man would lend to the conspiracy theory therefore that’s an argument that TM should not be given the death sentence because he may be needed for future testimony, government presented a good and effective case by calling on survivors of those who died in the bombing, after the trial started, the attorneys got to know TM well, he was a very smart individual, they felt had TM never met Terry Nichols and lost his military career, none of this would have happened, TM had way more depth to him than anyone ever really knew, it was hard to imagine he killed 168 people after the attorneys formed a friendship with him, regardless they were going to work hard to represent TM with vigor, closing arguments was a big deal for these defense attorneys and they felt a lot of pressure because TM’s life was on the line, the jury deliberated for 2 1/2 days, after the guilty verdict, one of TM’s attorneys was asked to help stop the execution because the federal government withheld 100 boxes of evidence, McVeigh was waiting in a federal prison in Indiana, Tim chose to stop the appeals because he did not want to live the life he was living in super max anymore even if they could have reduced his death sentence, TM was silent until the end
Disposition: Timothy McVeigh was found guilty on all 11 federal counts including conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, use of a weapon of mass destruction by explosive, and all the first degree murder counts; McVeigh was sentenced to death by lethal injection; McVeigh was executed on June 11, 2001

Notable Quotes: “To be a criminal defense lawyer, you have to adopt a philosophy that the justice of a society is measured by how it treats it’s worst people, not it’s best.” -Stephen Jones, Timothy McVeigh’s attorney

Source: ‘In Defense of: Timothy McVeigh’ Oxygen

Timothy McVeigh Army
Timothy McVeigh, US Army veteran (Photo: Reddit)

Oxygen:

Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people after bombing a federal building in Oklahoma City. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Defense lawyer Chris Tritico recalls his visit to a federal prison in Colorado that put him face to face with Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

A stolen interview with Timothy McVeigh shocks both the public and his own defense team. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

McVeigh’s attorneys remember the gut-wrenching testimonies of those who lost loved ones in the Oklahoma City Bombing. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Chris Tritico’s family remembers the difficulties they faced throughout Timothy McVeigh’s trial. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

“When someone is facing the loss of their life, you have to put everything you have into that.” -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Chris forgot to examine his zipper while cross-examining witnesses. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Stephen Jones reveals a conversation with client Timothy McVeigh that he has never repeated until now. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

Chris Tritico does not support crime; he supports the constitution. -In Defense Of, Oxygen (S1, E1)

During the Branch Davidian trial Dan Cogdell received a letter of support from Timothy McVeigh, a man who would later be known as the Oklahoma City Bomber. -In Defense Of, Oxygen

In the News:

In one of the most chilling interviews on the broadcast, Ed Bradley talked to McVeigh a year before his execution. -60 Minutes

Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh Sentenced to Death. -AP Archive


McVeigh’s father reaction to judge decision. -AP Archive

Interview with McVeigh’s lawyer after last meal. -AP Archive

Documentary:

Timothy McVeigh. We’ve been told so much about him, the Oklahoma City bombing, and what it meant for America. But what if it’s all a lie? -Corbett Report

Related Links:
Timothy James McVeigh #717
Timothy McVeigh | Death Penalty Information Center
Who Was Timothy McVeigh?
Oklahoma City Bombing
Oklahoma City Bombing – FBI
Oklahoma City bombing – HISTORY
Oklahoma City Bombing Fast Facts
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
Judge backs Reno’s death penalty call
McVeigh Case Lawyers Argue for Death, Life
Timothy McVeigh refuses to plead for his life
Timothy McVeigh’s death penalty lawyers to speak at Cornell Law School Nov. 14
Who’s Paying Timothy McVeigh’s Lawyers?
McVeigh convicted for Oklahoma City bombing
McVeigh Jury Mulls Execution, A Seldom-Used Federal Penalty
Jurors in Oklahoma City bombing trial sentence Timothy McVeigh to death
McVeigh Ends Appeal of His Death Sentence
McVeigh Condemned to Death
McVeigh sentenced to die for Oklahoma City bombing
6/11/01: Timothy McVeigh Executed
The execution of Timothy McVeigh
Execution of Timothy McVeigh | C-SPAN
Defiant McVeigh dies in silence
Is McVeigh’s execution justified
ACLU Statement on the Execution of Timothy McVeigh
Vast Majority of Americans Think McVeigh Should Be Executed
Victims’ families split by McVeigh execution
Exploiting A Tragedy: Death Penalty Supporters Use The Mcveigh Case
Execution will only make McVeigh’s point
McVeigh Execution Draws Activists From Both Sides of Death Penalty Debate
The Meaning of Timothy McVeigh | Vanity Fair
Inside Death Penalty Decisions: From Timothy McVeigh to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev
Timothy McVeigh and the Myth of Closure
An argument against the Death Penalty
Meeting McVeigh
America Hates Terrorists | The Marshall Project
The Prison Letters of Timothy McVeigh
Timothy McVeigh Lawyer: How Tsarnaev’s Defense Can Save His Life
Execution of a Terrorist: Debates Over Timothy McVeigh’s Death Echo 14 Years Later
15 Years Later, Hearing McVeigh’s Confession
20 years after the Oklahoma City bombing, Timothy McVeigh remains the only terrorist executed by US
Timothy McVeigh juror weighs-in on stress of deciding someone’s fate
The Timothy McVeigh case and its impact on media law
Timothy McVeigh gets the death penalty in 1997 for the Oklahoma City bombing
‘Oklahoma City’ Shows That Timothy McVeigh’s Terrorism Has Contemporary Reach
Out Of The Horror In Oklahoma City, Merrick Garland Forged The Way Forward
Oxygen’s New Crime Series IN DEFENSE OF Premieres Monday, June 25
“In Defense Of”: Oxygen Series Looks at Lawyers Who Defend the Indefensible
Oxygen’s In Defense Of Will Take You Inside Some of the Most Notorious Criminal Cases
Timothy McVeigh’s defense attorney recalls meeting Oklahoma City bomber in new doc: ‘He wasn’t completely nuts’
‘In Defense Of’ Highlights A Totally Different Side To The True Crime Genre
‘In Defense Of’ Sneak Peek: Timothy McVeigh’s Attorney Reveals Hesitation in Taking Oklahoma Bombing Case
A Short History of Timothy McVeigh | Oxygen

YouTube:
March 12, 2000: Timothy McVeigh speaks | 60 Minutes
Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh Sentenced to Death
McVeigh’s father reaction to judge decision
Interview with McVeigh’s lawyer after last meal
The Secret Life of Timothy McVeigh
A Short History Of Timothy McVeigh – Very Real | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Preview – Waiting for Craziness (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Preview – A Major Betrayal (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Preview – An Emotional Appeal (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Bonus Clip – Tough Times (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Bonus Clip – A Moment Of Shock (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Bonus Clip – Courtroom Embarrassment (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Bonus Clip – Not His First Rodeo (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Bonus Clip – A Lifetime Of Law (Season 1, Episode 1) | Oxygen
In Defense Of: Bonus Clip – Letter From A Future Terrorist (Season 1, Episode 2) | Oxygen
Timothy McVeigh | In Defense Of | Oxygen (S1, E1)
Timothy McVeigh | In Defense Of | Oxygen (preview)
Timothy McVeigh | In Defense Of | Oxygen (website)

Investigation Discovery Published ‘The Missing Pieces: The Staircase’: The True Crime Story of Michael & Kathleen Peterson (June 18, 2018)

In 2001, Kathleen Peterson’s body was found at the foot of a staircase in her home. The Missing Pieces looks at the nagging questions surrounding her death, dissecting a frantic 911 call, a potentially killer owl, and a blood-soaked stairwell. -The Staircase, Investigation Discovery

Related Links:
The Missing Pieces: The Staircase | Investigation Discovery (YouTube)
Military Widow Elizabeth Ratliff Found Deceased at the Bottom of Stairs in Germany; Michael Peterson Last Person to See Alive, Adopted Ratliff’s 2 Daughters (Nov. 25, 1985)
Kathleen Hunt Found Deceased at Bottom of Stairs in NC Home; Spouse Michael Peterson Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter to Avoid Second Trial (Dec. 9, 2001)
Marine Corps Veteran Michael Peterson Convicted of the Murder of Wife Kathleen; Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (October 10, 2003)
Marine Vet Michael Peterson Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter of Wife Kathleen to Avoid 2nd Trial; Agreed to Alford Plea, Released with Time Served (Feb. 24, 2017)
Investigation Discovery Premiered ‘An American Murder Mystery: The Staircase’ (April 8, 2018)
Netflix Premiered ‘The Staircase’: A Docuseries Examining Marine Veteran Michael Peterson’s Durham, North Carolina Murder Trial (2018)

Fear Thy Neighbor Premiered ‘Head in the Oven’ on ID: Former Marine Stopped Taking Meds, Unraveled & Murdered Brett Smith (June 16, 2018)

Two neighboring bachelors start out as friends. Harmless banter turns into threats eventually igniting an escalating war. The violence ends with a murder so shocking it is almost beyond belief. -Fear Thy Neighbor, Investigation Discovery (S5,E3)

Brett Smith was found murdered in his home on October 3, 2008 in North Canton, Ohio. Brett was found with a knife in his chest and dismembered; his head was found burning in the oven of his own home. It didn’t take long for police to determine that Brett’s neighbor, William Perry, was the suspect in the case. William Perry served in the Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm and was suffering from what sounds like Post Traumatic Stress. He was taking medications because he saw a lot of terrible things but he didn’t want to talk about it; the medications helped mitigate flashbacks, nightmares and other symptoms like lack of concentration that interfered with daily living. William and Brett were both fixing up their homes, helping each other out, and sharing tools.

At some point, William became jealous of Brett’s home improvement efforts and all the help he appeared to get from his family. William was struggling financially to fix up his place and this bothered William because he wanted a nice place for his children when they came to visit him. William and Brett tried to make the relationship work but the two had an on again and off again kind of relationship. Brett couldn’t drink because he took medication for epilepsy and he was uncomfortable around William after he had a few drinks of alcohol. The two got confrontational when William was drinking and Brett tried to confront William about vandalism on his property including slashed tires and an oil spill that cost William thousands of dollars to remedy. Brett’s mom Judy was getting concerned and wanted him to move out of there because the fighting was escalating.

William Perry was stressed. His girlfriend Susanna Lockard shared that he owed child support and if he didn’t pay it, he was going to jail. At the same time, William decided to stop taking his medication. He said they made him feel foggy and he wanted a clear head. Susanna was concerned he would get depressed or downward spiral. And then one day, William and Brett got into an altercation in the yard and William lost control and started beating Brett with a board. The neighbors thought William was a “psycho” after this encounter and so did Brett. The neighbors were really concerned that this situation was escalating and getting dangerous. Brett reported William to the North Canton Police Department but there was no evidence of the physical encounter so there was nothing the police could do. They told him to stay away from him. Brett was confused about why William hated him so much; he didn’t know what he was doing wrong.

Susanna was leaving the home for the night so William could spend some time with his kids. When she arrived to pick up some clothes, she found William home and he didn’t look well. She learned his plans with his children had been cancelled and he was upset. William was brandishing a gun in front of his girlfriend and her daughter while asking them to leave. William was living with his girlfriend but he broke up with her and kicked her out and never explained why. Later that night, the neighbors noticed William on Brent’s porch and they were arguing. When Brett’s mom showed up to his place the next day, she got no answer and smelled smoke. Brett’s mom turned to a friend and asked him to break into Brett’s house because she was concerned. The living room was in disarray, the contents of Brett’s wallet were strewn about, and there was also paint spilled everywhere. They found Brett in the bathroom laying on the floor with a knife in his chest. He had been strangled and beheaded. The police processed the home and found paint mixed with blood everywhere.

When the police opened the oven, they found Brett’s head burning inside. Brett’s mom had a very hard time accepting her son was dead and that he had been murdered in this way. William Perry was a suspect right away. There was no doubt that William had done this and he tried to cover up the crime. Initially, William was arrested for vandalism, a felony crime, and sent to jail. While there, he wrote a letter to a friend admitting to killing Brett. He said the night he killed Brett, it started with words and escalated to physical fighting. He spent the night trying to clean up the scene and attempted to dismember Brett but gave up after he cut off his head. He tried to erase all signs that he was in Brett’s house. He was charged with murder and faced the death penalty but it never went to trial. In October 2009, William Perry made a plea deal to avoid the death penalty and pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, gross abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. The prosecutor had no rational explanation for why he did this.

“It could have been anything, anything could have triggered it. It could have been trauma, it could have been something from childhood, it could be not seeing your kids as much as you want, it could just be all the pressures building up and it just sets a chain reaction.” -Susanna Lockard (Brett’s girlfriend)

Source: Head in the Oven, Fear Thy Neighbor, Investigation Discovery

In the News:

A neighbor describes finding the grisly remains of Brett Smith, who had been beheaded in his North Canton mobile home. -CantonRep.com

Employees of LA Office Solutions in North Canton, Ohio, tell how they felt threatened during an encounter with William D. Perry, a suspect in the beheading of Brett W. Smith, a week before Smith’s death. -CantonRep.com

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. Download the ID Go app and binge away. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.

Related Links:
Raw 911 Call: Mother Finds Sons Beheaded Body
Lake alum found murdered
Police say beheading suspect is neighbor
Neighbor suspected in N. Canton beheading case
Neighbor is ‘prime suspect’ in North Canton beheading case
Trailer park tragedy: A closer look at beheading victim, suspect
Trailer park tragedy: A closer look at beheading victim, suspect
Neighbor indicted in grisly slaying
Justice: Ohio Man Indicted In Neighbor’s Beheading
Ohio man pleads not guilty in neighbor beheading
Man admits he killed, beheaded his neighbor
North Canton man pleads guilty in beheading of neighbor at mobile home park
North Canton man admits beheading neighbor, avoids death penalty
William Perry v. Terry Tibbals, Warden (2013)
Brett Smith was murdered by his neighbor William Perry who then cut off his head and burned it in an oven – Fear Thy Neighbor
Neighbor finds beheaded man
A close encounter with beheading suspect
Head in the Oven | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (S5,E3)
Head in the Oven | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (website)
Head in the Oven | Fear Thy Neighbor | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Fear Thy Neighbor: 25 Veteran Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Netflix Premiered ‘The Staircase’: A Docuseries Examining Marine Veteran Michael Peterson’s Durham, North Carolina Murder Trial (June 8, 2018)

On December 9th, 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Did he do it? -The Staircase | Netflix

Season 1:

1. Crime or Accident? Following his wife’s suspicious death, Michael Peterson speaks about his version of the events while lawyers and expert witnesses prepare for trial.
2. Secrets and Lies: As Michael’s hidden life comes out into the open, defense experts debate if it will have a significant impact on the coming trial.
3. A Striking Coincidence: The defense team is shaken when a suspicious event from the past comes to light. Later, the team visits Michael’s first wife in Germany.
4. A Proseuction Trickery: As the trial looms and media attention heats up, an autopsy report’s wording ruffles the feathers of the defense team.
5. A Weak Case: The prosecution presents its case while the defense strives to cast a reasonable doubt within the minds of the jury.
6. The Prosecution’s Revenge: A witness brings surprising levity to the stand, the judge rules on an important matter, and Michael’s alleged temper comes under scrutiny.
7. The Blow Poke Returns: Kathleen’s sisters pore over Michael’s writings. Jurors visit the staircase at Michael’s home. A vital piece of evidence reappears.
8. The Verdict: Is Michael Peterson guilty or not guilty? The jury delivers its verdict regarding the mysterious death of his wife, Kathleen.
9. Reopening the Case: Eight years later, the possibility that a key witness for the prosecution may have misled the jury could prompt the need for a new trial.
10. The Last Chance: After more experts testify about the questionable conclusions and claims of Duane Deaver, the judge rules on whether a new trial is necessary.
11. Looking for Closure: Following two and a half years of house arrest, Michael must decide whether to push for a plea or risk his freedom with a new trial.
12. Between Anger and Despair: Their faith in the justice system forever shaken, Michael and his family discuss what they can hope to achieve by continuing the fight.
13. Flawed Justice: Michael speaks to a reporter about the reasons behind his plea. Later, Kathleen’s sister delivers a statement of defiance in court.

Source: The Staircase, Netflix

Continue reading “Netflix Premiered ‘The Staircase’: A Docuseries Examining Marine Veteran Michael Peterson’s Durham, North Carolina Murder Trial (June 8, 2018)”

A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (May 2018)

May 2018

Missing:
Family pleads for missing soldier battling PTSD to come home
Vets group calls for ‘CAMO Alert’
What really happened to Middlebrook’s Sgt. Gene Shultz?
Missing: Michael VanZandt (Hermosa Beach Police Department – 310-318-0308)
Missing in Hermosa Beach: What happened to Mike VanZandt?
He Left to Go to the Bathroom and Never Came Back: Where is Michael Vanzandt?
Missing: Trevor Nichols (US Army), New York
Soldier receives orders to Fort Riley, goes AWOL
Disappeared: Air Force Veteran Michael Vanzandt Vanishes During a Night Out with Friends in Hermosa Beach, California (March 5, 2016)
Jean-Marc Faubert has been missing since the early morning of Friday, May 25th

Cold Cases:
Georgia Marine’s murder in Belize remains unsolved one year later
No arrests made 3 years after soldier’s murder
New Hampshire unsolved case file: David and Deborah Carreau
Warwick murder case still unsolved, reward offered 5 years later
Cold Case: Army Spc. Darlene Krashoc Sexually Assaulted, Murdered, and Dumped in Parking Lot in Colorado Springs; CID Offers $10,000 Reward (1987)

Fugitives:
Reward Offered for Armed & Dangerous Fugitive: Army Recruiter John Blauvelt Wanted for Allegedly Murdering Estranged Wife in South Carolina (2017)

Petitions:
Presidential Pardon Petition | Free Lt. Clint Lorance
Fire Iron River, Michigan City Manager David Thayer For Firing Police Chief Laura Frizzo!

Continue reading “A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (May 2018)”

Snapped Notorious Premiered ‘Prescription for Death’ on Oxygen: Kristen Gilbert Serving Life in Prison for Murdering Four VA Patients in Massachusetts (May 13, 2018)

Police believe nurse Kristen Gilbert may have committed up to 60 murders at a hospital in Massachusetts. Some say an affair drove Gilbert to murder while others think her narcissism caused the death of these innocent patients. -Prescription for Death, Snapped Notorious, Oxygen (S23, E17)

Dates: March 1989-February 1996
Date of Arrest: July 11, 1996
Offender: Kristen Gilbert, 32, Department of Veterans Affairs Nurse
Location: Department of Veterans Affairs, Northampton, Massachusetts
Homicide Victims: Stanley Jagodowski, 66, Army veteran (August 21, 1995); Henry Hudon, 35, Air Force veteran (December 8, 1995); Kenneth Cutting, 41, Army veteran (February 2, 1996); Edward Skwira, 69, WWII Army veteran (February 15, 1996)
Circumstances: The number of deaths increased dramatically at the Northampton VA Medical Center in 1995, a co-worker was surprised by all the codes at the hospital, when a patient codes, it means the heart stopped, some can survive codes but the patients at the VA died, the deaths didn’t make sense, February 29, 1996, the police received a call from the VA Center, they reported that the deaths doubled at the medical center, nurses came forward with concerns that one of their co-workers was killing patients and they thought they were dealing with a serial killer, one common denominator was the presence of Kristen Gilbert, KG came from ordinary family, she was intelligent, a great student, she had a bubbly personality, was sophisticated and had a lot of friends, she was addicted to getting attention, she needed more and more, she had a constant need to be the center of things, she had narcissistic personality disorder, she manipulated others to get her way, she threatened to kill herself if she didn’t get the attention she wanted from boyfriends, she also had Borderline Personality Disorder, her obsession was thrill and attention, she graduated from nursing school in 1988 and was hired at the VA Medical Center in Northampton the following year, she got great reviews from her bosses, she went undetected because she volunteered for extra work, she wore a mask of normality but underneath she was an evil person, Kristen met her future husband in New Hampshire, they were married and had two children, she had a volatile relationship with her husband, chased him around with a knife, but her husband wanted to hold the marriage together for the children, then Kristen had an affair with a security guard at the VA and as a result Kristen’s marriage ended, then patients started coding and the doctors were not able to save them, one of them was Stanley Jagodowski, the codes and death continued, a second suspicious death occurred, a young veteran was admitted for the flu, he coded three times and his heart gave out the third time, Kenneth Cutting was admitted for sepsis, later that night Kenneth coded and died of cardiac arrest, it appeared he died for no apparent reason, authorities learned KG injected patients with epinephrine to initiate cardiac arrest, they would code and then she was one of the people who rushed to the scene to deal with the crisis, as a result she got a lot of attention from her security guard boyfriend, they worked together to save the patients lives, she put patients into crisis to get attention from the security guard, she developed a callous attitude about the patients, authorities learned her boyfriend wasn’t involved, he was an innocent bystander, the nurses thought she had bad luck because patients died when she was around, she was known as the Angel of Death, Edward Skwira was the fourth suspicious death, he was admitted for alcoholism, that night he died from cardiac arrest and this should not have happened, her fellow nurses became suspicious, the nurses started looking for evidence and they found used bottles of epinephrine, record keeping allowed her to dip into the epinephrine supply with no detection, February 29, 1996, the cops got a call from the VA Medical Center, the nurses believed Kristen was killing patients, death followed Kristen from shift to shift to shift, the security guard ended the relationship when he began to suspect Kristen too, she took the break up badly and began panicking, when backed in a corner, her type turns to the extreme, authorities put her under surveillance, in September 1996, the VA received a bomb threat and the patients were evacuated, it turned out to be a bogus bomb threat, the police were watching Kristen and the same phone she used was traced to the VA bomb threat, after the bomb threat, she went home and the police got a warrant, the police found the jacket she had on when she placed the phone calls, she had operating directions on how to change your voice in her pocket, they also found a talk boy which changes the sound of your voice, this was the instrument most likely used to change her voice on the bomb threat call, they found medical books, computer records, journals, a page dog eared at epinephrine, but the police needed something more concrete to make their case, meanwhile she was held accountable for the bomb threat and received a 15 month sentence, when serving the sentence, there was a suicide attempt, she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, they use whatever they need to keep drawing attention to themselves, they are always the victim to keep the focus on themselves, while she was in jail, the police continued the investigation, they needed to prove what she did so they could win at trial, authorities exhumed some of the patients who died under Kristen’s care to find evidence of epinephrine in their system, the families were cooperative and thankful the police were investigating, the autopsies found much higher amounts of epinephrine than should be there, the patient’s hearts were good, and the police finally had their proof, the prosecution moved forward with homicide charges, some claimed she did it for love, her desire to get the attention of her boyfriend, she was tried in a federal capital felony case and was eligible for the death penalty, Kristen was cold during the entire trial, Kristen is a classic female serial killer, she has what they call intrinsic locus, it’s all about her, she is the number one priority in her own life and she’s self absorbed, she played the hero so she could save the day all in an effort to garner attention, if people have to die, its okay with her, she is a master of deceit, she is one of the most dangerous and evil
Disposition: In 2001, Kristen Gilbert was found guilty of four counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder; the jury sentenced KG to life in prison as opposed to the death penalty; law enforcement officials believe she could be responsible for killing up to 60 patients; Gilbert appealed the decision but dropped it once she realized prosecutors could pursue the death penalty in a new trial

Notable Quotes: “Healthcare serial killers are the most unlikely villains. They prey on vulnerable victims and use medicine as their murder weapons.” -Oxygen

Source: Kristen Gilbert, Snapped Notorious, Oxygen

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Kristen Gilbert

Deadly Women:

Full Episode: Poison is an ancient weapon, convenient, non-confrontational and secretive. Women are five times more likely to use it than men. The poisoner is a particularly sinister killer able to sit back and watch someone die. -Poisonous Women, Deadly Women

Related Links:
Kristen Gilbert – Wikipedia
Kristen Gilbert | Murderpedia
Former nurse charged in 3 veterans’s deaths
Former Nurse on Trial in Patients’ Deaths
Kristen Heather Gilbert | Medical Bag
6 Facts about Female Serial Killer Kristen Gilbert
10 Nurses That Are Serial Killers
Kristen Gilbert – The Angel of Death
Kristen Gilbert – The Angel of Death – Serial Killing Nurse
Worst Female Serial Killers | Documentary | Female Killers
Caregiver or killer? | Boston Globe
She liked to play the star | Boston Globe
Death The Common Denominator
Ex-va Nurse Indicted In 3 Suspected Murders
Trial Begins Today for Nurse Accused of Killing Veterans
Nurse Killed 4 Patients for Thrill, Prosecutor Says
Former Nurse on Trial in Patients’ Deaths
Nurse sentenced to life in VA deaths
Murderous Nurse Escapes Death Penalty
Serial Killer Nurse Kristen Gilbert
When Serial Killers Strike: The Angel of Death on Ward C
Serial Killer Nurse Who Liked ‘Thrill’ of Emergencies Murdered Patients to Impress Boyfriend
Oxygen Media Pulls Curtain Back On Two Famous Serial Killers On Snapped Notorious: Prescription for Death
Judge’s fictional account gives inside view of death penalty trial
Doctors and Nurses Who Kill: Genene Jones, Charles Cullen and More Who Preyed on Their Patients and Others
17 Serial Killer Nurses Who Murdered Their Patients
10 of the Most Notorious Female Serial Killers
United States, Appellant, v. Kristen Gilbert, Defendant, Appellee (2000)
VA Nurse Kristen Gilbert Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing Four Veterans: Stanley Jagodowski, Henry Hudon, Kenneth Cutting & Edward Skwira (March 26, 2001)
Kristen Gilbert | Poisonous Women | Deadly Women
Kristen Gilbert | Prescription for Death | Snapped Notorious: Kristen Gilbert (S23, E17)
Watch Notorious: Kristen Gilbert | Snapped on the Web

A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (April 2018)

April 2018

Missing:
Patrick F. Carnes, Nevada (2011) | Missing Veterans
Mother Joins Search for Navy Officer Son Who Vanished on Way to Submarine Based in Connecticut
Federal agencies get involved with search for missing Martinsville man

Cold Cases:
Air Force Col. Philip Shue Died in an Apparent Car Accident, But Autopsy Revealed Much More; Texas Judge Ruled Cause of Death as Homicide (April 16, 2003)
Unsolved Homicide: Fort Hood Army Pvt. Justin Lewis Shot & Killed Near Vacant Lot in Neighborhood in Killeen, Texas (April 17, 2017)

Reward Offered:
$11K offered in hunt for Marine accused of killing detective’s daughter
Former Marine wanted for murder believed to be in Mexico, manhunt underway
Authorities ask for public’s help in locating ex-Marine fugitive

Petitions:
Advocate for review and reform of injustice in the Military

Announcements:
Veterans legal clinic scheduled in Killeen
Save Our Heroes Sends Letter of Concern to Joint Regional Correctional Facility Leavenworth, Re Violation of the United Nations Human Rights Commission

Legislation:
This Gunnery Sergeant’s job destroyed his body to the point of retirement
Diagnosed With Leukemia, This Officer Was One Year From Retirement

Continue reading “A Month in Review: In the News on Military Justice for All (April 2018)”