Am I Next? (Rebroadcast)

If someone had let you see [music]. everything that had gone on on Facebook. and they're talking and saying nasty. things about each other, would you ever. have imagined that it would have wound. up with two people dead in this house? >> No. Never would have. >> I got a phone call telling me that she. was gone. In my head, I just can't believe it. I. was shocked. >> And this is the bedroom where Billy Clay. was found. >> Single shot. >> Single shot in the face. >> through the back of the house. And did. they catch Billy Gene as well? Totally.

asleep. >> My impression was it looked like a hit. >> Like a contract hit, >> right? >> People thought there was a killer on the. loose. >> I'm sorry it happened, but I mean that's. all I could tell you is they they have. been harassing the living. crap out of me. >> What kinds of things were people saying. about you? >> Just I was a bad person. I was horrible. Threatening to get hurt. >> What started all this hatred? I've had. my wife threatened. My wife has been. threatened. They've threatened to take.

me out, cut her head off. >> All part of what prosecutors call the. craziest, stupidest, deadliest. catfishing scheme you have ever seen. We're done. This is Mountain City, a postage stamp. hamlet nestled [music] in the mountains. in East Tennessee. >> Mountain City is a 2x4 town. You know,

it's 2 mi wide and and 4 mi long. >> A sign greeting [music] visitors calls. Mountain City a friendly hometown. >> Johnson County is considered a very safe. place. Uh, as I was the assistant. [music] district attorney there for over. 6 years, and there was only a handful of. homicides, uh, maybe [music] one a year, if that. >> You grew up with people and you're going. to see them at the grocery store. You go to the gas station and [music]. you run into somebody, you know.

Everybody goes to the same church. It's the quintessential small town. America. [music]. >> Definitely a place where everybody knows. everybody. Everybody's in everybody. else's business. Johnson County 911. >> Honey, I need a neighbor. It's bad. Can. you say the flame, please? >> That call is coming from this house. where Billy Payne lives with his.

fianceé, Billy Gene Hworth. [music]. When two neighbors stop by, they. discover unspeakable horror. >> The back door is always unlocked, so he. goes in, hollers, [music] nobody. answers. He thought, "Well, it's strange. that Billy Jean's car is here, Billy's. truck is here, and nobody's answering.". [music] So, he goes down the hallway and. uh finds Bill on the bed. >> Billy Payne is not moving. His face is. blooded. >> I can't find a pulse. All I can see is. blood on his neck. Oh my god.

>> Blood on it. >> Oh my god. [clears throat]. >> It's time to get calm. >> They heard a noise in the second. bedroom, which is farther down the hall. from the first. They went back and they. found the seven-month old baby. There's. blood on the baby, buddy. There's blood. on the baby. >> We found Billy Jean laying in the floor. and the baby was there with her. She had. her arms wrapped around him. He was. laying there on the floor with her. The child was covered in in blood. and everything. >> I'll be honest with you, I don't know. how long I've been laying here like.

this. The baby kind of to me as a parent. looks like maybe it's been upset crying. for a while and probably cried till we. can't cry no more. Miraculously, the baby Tyler, seen here. in photos released by the Johnson County. Sheriff's Office, has no physical. injuries and appears to be unharmed. Sadly, the same can't be said for the. seven-month-old's parents. >> No, there's no pulse. I know there's no. pulse on him. >> Okay. Do you want to do CPR or anything? >> Yeah, there's no pulse. There's no puff.

on either one of them. They're white. This was around 10:40 uh a.m. in the. morning. That's whenever the the first. call had came in. >> Here I am. I'm driving down through here. and I'm thinking it is hard to believe. that there is actually two people that's. been murdered down here because you. would just it's just something that's. very uncommon here. >> If one thing happens there, every the. whole community knows about it. This. situation of two people being murdered.

in their own home, murdered in their. pajamas in the early morning hours was a. great shock and nobody really knew what. had happened. [music]. >> This is where Billy Payne and Billy Jean. were murdered in this house. >> Heard about. law enforcement officers took me to the. crime scene back in 2015. And you were the first on the scene.

because you live pretty close to here, right? >> I live approximately a mile and a half. down the road right below here. >> Reys says they found no sign of breakin. That's because anyone could have walked. right into the small house just like the. police [music] did. >> So they go to the back door. They just open it up. It's unlocked. >> It's a sliding glass door and they just. slide it up and walk in. >> This is the kind of place where people. don't really lock their doors. I guess. they walked right in. Was there any sign. of. a scuffle, a fight, anything?

>> No. No sign of anything of that nature? No. Looked like Billy had just gotten. out of the bed. That's where we found. his body. >> From what we understand, >> Special Agent Scott Lot with the. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation takes. me into the home where the young couple. was killed. >> This is the bedroom where the claim was. found. >> Single shot. single shot in the face. >> Bill, he also had slice marks [music]. across his neck and the front. It was.

like he was going from the left side. over towards the right side was how the. slashes were. And it wasn't one, it was. like multiple [music] slashes. I left. from there and went down to the next. room, which was the baby's room. And I. saw Billy Jean Hayworth lying on the. floor and I could tell that she had an. injury above her uh right ear. >> Like Billy, Billy Jean is shot once in.

the head. Police theorize Billy is. killed first. >> The bedroom should be right inside this. inside this window right here. First. window Billy Billy's bedroom was here. and then. >> then the child's room was the next. So. they walked through the back of the. house, >> right? >> And did they catch Billy Jean as well? Totally asleep or was she. >> No, Billy Jean wasn't asleep from what. we gathered. She was holding the baby. >> Once the intruder came in, she jumped up. and ran out with the baby, >> right? >> To try to. >> try to get away.

>> Police think Billy Jean ran into the. baby's nursery and tried to shield him. from the attack. >> So it didn't take much time to get from. that room to this room to shoot. >> No. in this is 5 ft, >> right? I think it takes a cold blooded. person to shoot somebody holding a baby. >> Was that the most shocking thing about. this murder? >> You know, when that information got out, people were disturbed about that. Small community like this. >> You've been involved in police work, law. enforcement for what, 30 years? >> Almost 30 years.

>> You never seen anything like this? >> Never seen nothing like this. >> Who could kill people in this way? It's. a question that will ultimately uncover. ugly [music] family feuds, divide. Mountain City, and have these small town. cops looking [music] to a possible CIA. plot. >> My impression after, you know, the first. week was it looked like a hit, >> like a contract hit, >> right?

>> She doesn't have a cause, no. time. >> Do you know how long maybe they've been. there? I don't know. They're cold or. what? >> It's a home invasion double murder that. has a small Tennessee mountain town on. edge and authorities scratching their. heads. >> When they first asked me if I knew. anybody that would hurt them, nobody. came to mind. Nothing hit me right off. I didn't know what what had happened. [music] And then they asked me if they. had any enemies.

Most of the time if we have a murder, it's usually somebody that they know or. a family member or one of the friends. that got upset. But this is one of those. that we always call us like a a who done. it murder. >> Only one other person there. >> The squad's coming. Can I hang up now, please? >> The details are even more horrifying. 36-year-old Billy Payne is not only shot. in the head, his throat is sliced. And. 23-year-old mother Billy Jean is holding. her seven-month-old son when she's.

killed. [music]. >> Pretty cold bloodooded to shoot a woman. holding her child, huh? >> Yes, it is. Sure is. >> Especially point blank. I mean, it's. just right there. >> Shook people up, huh? >> It did. Sure did. People thought there. was a killer on the loose. >> Did you know the people who lived here? >> Yes, I did. Very familiar with them. Knowed Billy and his sister from the. time they were small. Billy Payne's. sister, Tracy, told me she is still. struggling with losing her brother. >> I was shocked, but I I thought that.

wasn't true. You know, I just. >> I don't know. It's like. impossible. I still don't think it's. true. >> Everybody liked Billy. Billy was one of. these type of people that was outgoing. and was friends with everybody. He liked. to get together with friends, go. four-wheeling with your truck in the. mountains and, you know, do stuff like. that. Go camping. Billy worked at Parkdale Mills, a. textile factory, as a machine operator.

[music]. >> Billy Gene Hayworth, who was a few years. younger than Billy Payne, she started. working at Parkdale, and that's where. Billy Payne [music] and Billy Gene met. They started dating. >> It was a [music] good person, fun, loving, outgoing, kind of person. everybody want to be around. She likes. [music] swimming. I love being outdoors. ever since she was little. >> The romance moves quickly. In [music] no. time at all, Billy Jean moves in with. Billy and his father. And a short time.

later, she gives birth to baby Tyler. She was [music] so excited. He was her. world. This glow she had about her when. he came into the world was just. unbelievable. She told me the night before she got. [music] murdered, she was happy. Her son. meant the world to her and Bill did, too. She says, "Sis, I'm in love." [music]. She finally found out what love really. was. I got a phone call telling me that.

she was gone. [music]. [music]. And so I shot her. [snorts]. in my head. I just can't believe it. I. was shocked. You just don't ever think. of something like that happening to your. baby sister. [music].

It was one of the hardest days of my. life. Nobody should have to go through. finding out that their friends have been. murdered. So, who would want to murder a young. family like this? At this point, police. are desperate for any clues.

Were you able to glean. very much forensic evidence from this. scene? >> There is very little. Um, it is [music]. very clean scene as far as, you know, physical evidence goes. So, no prints, no shell casings, no DNA left behind. >> Not that we found those. >> It was because whenever the the suspects. entered the house, they didn't do. anything else. They did not go through. the drawers, the closets, the wallets. were all left in their places. Some.

money was laying around. It was left. just as it was. So, nothing was taken. from [music] the residents. Investigators at the scene don't find. any shell casings, which leads them to. believe that the murder weapon was a. revolver, but they do find two bullets. there. >> Billy Jean was laying in the floor in a. semifutal position. [music] To me, it. looked as if she was bending over to. pick up her child from the bouncy seat.

and was shot at that point, I guess, as. the the bullet landed in the bouncy. seat. It was amazing. You would think that we. would have to, you know, look for the. bullet in the room, either in a wall or. something, but it was just laying right. there and and the bullet was still in in. good shape. A bullet recovered from Billy's pillow. is also mostly intact. [music]. That bullet has an X carved into its.

tip. This is a technique that's used to. craft what is sometimes called a poor. man's hollow point. The idea is that the. bullet would break apart upon impact and. cause even more damage. >> And you never found the murder weapon or. the knife that apparently slit the. throat? >> Neither one. My impression after, you. know, the first week was it looked like. a hit, >> like a contract hit, >> right? They either had some training or.

they were selftaught. We didn't know. Um, you know, we initially started. questioning uh family and friends. >> Billy's father tells investigators that. when he leaves for work at about 5:30. that morning, Billy is still sleeping. and Billy Jean is feeding the baby. Bill. Payne would always ride with uh a guy to. work. And that morning he went up and. knocked on the door, but no one would. come to the door. [music]. So, he just figured that, you know, he.

wasn't going to go to work. So, he just. left and went on to work. And that was. uh sometime around maybe 6:00 or so. >> Now, police have isolated a halfhour. window when they believe the murder. happened, but they still need to find. out who did it. The first day when we were talking to. friends of the victims, someone had. mentioned that there was some kind of. altercation or grievance. >> If someone had let you see everything. that had gone on, deffriending each.

other on Facebook and they're talking. and saying [music] nasty things about. each other, would you ever have imagined. that it would have wound up with two. people dead in this house? >> No. >> [music]. >> In 2012, the small town of Mountain City. is very online. A lot of people know about everything. that goes on here [music].

because of, you know, Facebook. Back in. 2012, [music] there was Facebook, but. there was a now defunct website called. Topics. topics became a big deal in. Johnson County. >> where people can [music] go on there and. make their own topic and have. discussions and it's usually confined to. different areas around here. It's very. popular. >> One of the biggest users of topics and. other social media sites in Mountain. City is a 30-year-old Janelle Potter,

who will become a [music] key player in. this murder mystery. So, let's start off in the beginning. Where did you grow up? >> Uh, grew up in Kennet Square, Pennsylvania. >> What was it like? >> Um, it was nice. Um, small town. >> Mhm. >> Um, not everyone pretty much know. everybody. >> They moved to Mountain [music] City from. Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. From. all accounts, Janelle was someone who. didn't really leave the house very much.

Uh, she lived most of her life online. The Potter family was known pretty well. in Johnson County as keeping [music] to. themselves and just being a little. weird. They didn't really interact with. a lot of people. They didn't work. [music] Seemed very, very like a very. paranoid family. Janelle's father, Marvin, also goes by. the name Buddy. Now, Buddy's a Vietnam. vet who says he did covert missions for. the CIA. His wife, Barbara, admits she. doesn't exactly [music].

know what he did overseas. Was he ever. in the CIA or attached to the CIA? >> Uh, he he said he [music] was. >> Is he allowed to talk about what he did? >> No, never. I just saw him as a gentle giant, >> but he's a gentle giant who's on. disability. He suffers from debilitating. back pain and periodically relies on. oxygen tanks to breathe. [music]. But he still sees himself as the. protector of this family. My. understanding of Janelle and why she was. still living with her parents uh is that.

she had some learning disabilities that. were diagnosed pretty early in [music]. her life. >> Buddy and Barbara are protective and. they barely let their daughter out. [music] of their sight. >> What were the rules? What kind of rules. were they? >> Don't be out past, you know, 12:00 at. night. Um no smoking, no drinking, no. partying, no drugs, um stuff like that. Tell me about Janelle. >> Very naive. Can make decisions sometimes.

that aren't quite right for her cuz. she's young. She's young in her mind. More young than her age. I think [music]. you know. >> her parents had a lot of control over. her. She she was not allowed to use. their computer unmonitored. She was not. allowed to use her cell phone. unmonitored. uh she wasn't allowed to. have friends over socially to be around. people in person without them getting in. good with Buddy and Barbara [music]. beforehand. Uh so this forced Janelle to. seek out relationships online.

Janelle also suffers from chronic health. issues which keep her indoors most of. the time. Janelle did have some. interactions in real life and these. photos presented in court showed Janelle. with new friends Billy Payne and his. sister [music] Tracy. I worked at the pharmacy in town and. they were coming in there and getting. her medicine and we felt sorry for. Janelle because she was sheltered cuz. she was sick. So I got talking to my. brother about these people that had come.

in. She gave me her phone number and I. started calling her. >> Tell me about your relationship with. Tracy. >> Um it was a good she was a good friend. to me. I would go out with her to. [music] um the mom uh to her house a few. times um out to eat. Took her son. different places. Um. we were okay. >> What did you think of Bill? >> He was nice. >> Just nice. >> Mhm. [music]. >> But Janelle says she's also being.

cyberbullied and hateful anonymous. comments began appearing on her Facebook. page. Soon, this war of words explodes. online between Janelle and Billy Gene. Hayworth, who Janelle accuses of. starting that online feud. What was her. relationship like with Billy Jean? >> Oh, she hated her. >> from the get- go. >> Mhm. She had called her all kinds of bad. names. >> Now, at one point, did they unfriend you. on Facebook? >> Um, I think we did it to each other. I.

unfriended them, they unfriended me. >> Who unfriended who first? Um, I did Bill. first and I think Billy [music] did me. and I unfriended her. >> But Janelle says the online venom keeps. coming and escalates to physical. threats. Janelle's mother, Barbara, intervenes. >> I wrote, "Please do not write these. things." [music]. I begged them, "Please don't do this.".

>> What kinds of things were people saying. about you? just I was a bad person. Um I. was horrible. Threatened to get raped. Um. threatening to get hurt. >> Must have been pretty scary. >> Yes. >> But why would people say this about you? >> I don't know. >> What started all [music] this hatred? >> I'm not sure.

And those are the exact same questions. police want to ask the Potters the day. after Janelle's Facebook friends turned. foes are murdered. >> The Potters, they live right. They lived. right up here. >> So this is the house. This is the house. >> And you told them this is a. conversation. This is no search warrant, [music]. >> right? This is just something just to. get some interviews, just to sit down. and talk about what type of problems. that they all had with each other. >> Hey, >> how you doing?

Hey, my name is. >> Unknown to the Potters, investigators. record the interview. >> What we're doing right now is. investigating the dos. >> Very serious matter. Everybody always. points finger at us for something. >> Oh, no. There ain't nobody pointing. their fingers. Instead of talking about. how tragic the murders were, instead of. talking about, you know, what an outrage. it was, the Potter family, especially. Janelle, just started trashing on Billy.

Payne and Billy Gene Hayworth. [music]. >> They've been harassing me in my driveway. on our property. And then yesterday. morning when I got on Facebook is when I. [music] found out. had um I mean I'm sorry it happened but. I mean that's all I could tell you is. they they have been harassing the living. crap out of me. >> Why would they be harassing you? >> It came out to be a jealousy thing. They. they said I was too pretty. >> Buddy and Barbara Potter definitely saw.

their daughter as a victim. They saw the. Facebook posts. They saw the emails that. were sent back and forth. They really. thought that people were out to rape. her. People were out to kill her. You never put on the internet that you. you wish that they were dead? >> No. >> A car accident or something like that? >> I'm not that mean. I just don't want to. believe the. >> That's all I've ever asked. >> What did you come away with? >> I have nothing to do with it. I had did.

not have anything to do with it at all. >> And so, were you really suspicious when. you walked away from that house? >> We were suspicious. Yes. >> [music]. >> Why are investigators suspicious? Because Janelle brings up another person. who was involved in this online feud. >> They were just cussing at me, but I. stood my father with Jamie. >> We had talked [music] to some of the. other people and they had heard Jamie.

Kurd had threatened to cut Billy Payne's. throat. >> [music]. >> As Mountain City investigators are. interviewing the Potters about an online. feud with murder victims Billy Payne and. Billy Jean Hayworth, they ask about a.

local man named Jamie Kurd. Jamie to. you. >> He's just a friend. We've been friends. for years. He's friend of our family. >> Yeah. >> He's friend to all of us to me. >> Jamie Kurd was from Johnson County. I. had lived there his whole life. He was a. pretty solitary guy. Kept to himself. >> Every time you see him, he's always. wearing sunglasses. [music] He says that. the sun always bothers his eyes. >> Jamie Kurd was Billy's [music] second.

cousin. Jaime had grown up with Billy. They were more like brothers and. cousins. [music]. >> Jaime, like Billy Payne and Billy Jean, worked at Parkdale Mills. And like. Billy, he's brought into Janelle's orbit. thanks [music] to Tracy, who set the shy. Janelle up with her cousin. >> So why did you think this set up Jamie. and Janelle? >> Well, Jamie didn't have a girlfriend, and she really didn't have a boyfriend, so [music] we just That's the only two. I mean, they didn't look like they'd go.

together by no means. Why not? >> Well, Jamie was sort of rough looking, you know, greasy and she was neat. So, >> Jamie also moonlights fixing home. computers around town. >> The Potters used Jamie as a a person to. come and fix their computers whenever. something was wrong, which would give. Janelle a [music] reason to be able to. see Jamie. And when Jaime was there, Janelle would be allowed to go into the. computer room and [music] talk to Jaime.

and be around Jaime. So Jaime and. Janelle got closer and closer. But the. Potters didn't want Janelle dating, and. they certainly didn't want Janelle. dating Jaime. >> Janelle's mom and dad did not approve of. Jaime. So Jaime was in love with her. So. Jaime [music] had purchased her a cell. phone, and he would come here, bring it, and hide it in the bushes, and she would. come and get it. They started talking some. I believe. that they would text message and instant. message back and forth. They used email.

frequently. This undercover relationship between. Jamie Kurd and Janelle just kept growing. and growing. You and Jamie got pretty serious at one. point. >> Yes. >> How often would you talk? >> Every day. >> For long periods. >> Uh for an hour or two hours at a time. >> Wow. What would you talk about? >> Our Dave. Um, I don't know. He would. tell me about his life. I would tell him.

about mine. [music]. >> In typo-filled messages, Janelle tells. Jamie, "You will always be in my life. I. will always love you. And you're not. just a part of me. You are all of me.". [music] Janelle even signs the message, "Your wife.". But when police ask Janelle about her. relationship with Jamie, [music]. she lies. >> Jeremy kind of like your boyfriend? >> No. >> No.

>> No. He's just a really good friend. >> Does he want to be your boyfriend? >> Not that. I'm [music] just like a really. good friend to him. >> But police have evidence that shows. that's not true. We located photographs. and a cell phone and the photographs. [music] show. them kissing at one point. >> What' you think of Jamie? >> I'm nice to everybody. He told me how he. worked on computers. He could build them. from the bottom up. >> He did more than work on your computer.

He worked on your daughter, too. >> Yeah. And I didn't know that for a long. [music] time that he was interested in. her or vice versa. It was [music]. secret. Police also know that Jaime got dragged. into this online feud and his feelings. for Janelle pit Jaime against his own. cousin. >> Janelle [music] convinced Jaime that uh. Billy Gene Hayworth and Billy Payne were. targeting Janelle and sending her death. threats, threatened to rape her, threatened [music] to kill her.

He started having problems with Billy. Payne at work. They had got into an argument down there. and some of the people had heard Jamie. say something about slicing [music] his. throat. Billy's throat had been slashed. So yes, that's the reason that we. brought Jamie [music] Kurtie in. We just. asked him, "Hey, would you take a. polygraph?" And [music] sure enough, he. said that he would. That didn't go very. well. Jaime is more involved with.

[music] Janelle than what he was letting. on to us. Have a seat. >> Have a seat to Jamie. Okay. >> So, uh that's whenever Agent Lock and. Agent Hannah uh basically confronted him. about the deception of some of the. answers of the questions, >> Jamie. Of those 11 questions, which ones. do you think you had the most reaction? >> You can tell he's nervous. We confront. him with the results of the polygraph. Uh you can tell that he is uh.

apprehensive about talking. >> I think you ended there. I won't take. care of this situation. I won't take. care of people messing with you now. >> People ain't going to mess with my girl. no more. >> She's not my girl. You may say that out. loud, but you know when your heart. different. [clears throat]. >> We we sort of, you know, ask him the. same questions. You know, what's your. all's relationship? What's yours and. Janelle's relationship? And you know, and he kept on saying they were friends. [music]. >> that you made a statement that worked.

that you going to cut his throat. You. made that statement and I know you did. >> But eventually Jamie changes his tune. and he starts [music] singing. >> Jamie finally admitted that he went to. the house. Who shot? Hey, buddy.

I'm sorry. >> Yes. Okay, let's talk about it. >> Jamie said that he was involved in it. He didn't do much, but he had told us. that Buddy had been the one to have. [music] shot the two people. and he said. something about on the lines that, you. know, [music] he was the one that did. the uh the the cutting of the neck. >> Jamie was formally charged on the 7th.

[music] of February. We put him back in. the cell. He he wasn't going anywhere. >> Now that Jaime's on the hook, he agrees. to help reel in his alleged partner in. the double murder, Janelle's father, Marvin Buddy Potter. We asked Jamie if. he made a phone call to Marvin if uh. Marvin would [music] admit to anything. during that phone call and he said I I. think he might. >> Well, they're uh fingers.

Christmas. [music] It's a time to mourn in Mountain. City, Tennessee. Billy Payne and Billy. Jean Hayworth are laid to rest. The. murdered couple survived [music] only by. their infant son. >> I'm just as shocked today over my my. friends Bill and Billy Jean losing their. [music] life over someone who created. her own hell. [music].

>> Days later, Jamie Kurd confesses and ids. the killer as Buddy Potter. Investigators then have Kurd call. Potter, hoping he'll incriminate. himself. [music]. >> Everything go all right? >> Well, they're uh hunting fingers. >> Oh, Jerry Christmas. >> You got rid of everything that was. built, didn't you? >> Uh-huh.

>> Okay, that makes me feel a lot better. Yeah, >> we [music] never did really find the. weapon that was used to kill Billy Payne. and Billy Gene Hayworth. We took. Buddy Potter's statement that he took. care [music] of it to mean that he had. gotten rid of the murder weapons. [music]. >> With Jamie locked up, it's back to the. Potter house, but this time he's not so. welcoming to investigators. [music]. >> We knew he had a weapon and at one point.

we thought he made a gesture to us. What. kind of gesture? >> He's [music] like he's going to do like. this and we grabbed his arm. >> My father hugged on us and treated us. like we were angels. He was a very. protective father and at all cost he was. going to protect his wife and daughter. [music]. [music]. Down at the sheriff's office, Buddy, who's in jeans, a red sweatshirt, and. handcuffs, settles into an easy chair.

for some hard talk with that pair of TBI. agents. >> You know why you right? >> Yeah, I'm assuming. >> Okay. Why are you thinking? >> Somebody's told you I'm the one who. killed somebody. >> But Buddy Potter is no Jamie Kurd. >> Here's the thing. Mike and I, we've been. investigating this case. We don't [music] think you killed him. We know you killed him. Okay. >> How did you listen?

And and that's not just a guess. It's. not just is a gut feeling. It's a no. Okay. We know. >> That's fine. I didn't kill him. I did. not kill Billy Payne. I'm not going to. admit something I didn't do. >> He denied everything and uh we pressed. him and pressed him and pressed him. Come hardest, kid. protector of your. family. That's for you. >> I'm protecting my family to start with, but I I did not do.

>> this. Tell me what happened. Tell me. >> I don't know. >> The agents repeatedly assure Buddy they. understand how he must have felt. >> I believe [music]. you are sick and tired. The most. precious person in your life being. attacked and harassed constantly. I know that. Okay. >> Ever since. all this crap started, I've been I've had my wife threatened.

My wife has been threatened. They've. threatened to take me down, cut her head. off. Finally, at one point he [music] he starts to say. when uh people are threatening your. daughter's life, >> when you hear people. plotting. to take you catch your daughter in a. restroom and murder her. They wanted to.

rape her because she's a virgin. Investigators getting the sense that. Buddy might be ready [music] at last to. confess, just not to them. Special Agent. Lot has an idea. >> I made the suggestion, uh, [music]. buddy, would you like to call Barbara. and tell her first before you tell us? And he said, "Yes." So, we let him make. a phone call to Barbara. >> Barbara? >> Yeah. Before you find out from somebody.

else, I want you to know [music]. I was involved in it. I did it. >> some of it. >> I don't understand. [music]. >> because of what all they've been trying. to do to you and Janelle. I just wanted. to tell you first. [music]. >> He told Barbara, "I did it." And that's. as close to a confession as we got from. him. Your husband confessed to it.

>> Yeah, but there's questions about that. [music]. >> So, why would he admit to it? Why would. he confess? >> When they took him, they took no oxygen. They took no medication. and they interviewed him for hours. When. he his oxygen gets left, he says things. [music] that don't make sense or are. incorrect. Authorities begged to differ, saying. even without his oxygen tank and. medication, Potter was lucid and [music].

understood the questions. Now the. question becomes, who convinced Buddy. Potter his family was in danger? >> Why would your father go and shoot those. two people? [music]. >> I don't know. >> No idea. >> No idea. [music]. >> You said that your father was always. protective of you. Yes, but I don't. think he would [music] kill. over silly stuff like this. >> Authorities say it didn't seem silly to.

Buddy Potter. He very tearfully recounted that these. people had put a bounty on his. daughter's head, that they had. threatened to rape her, cut her up into. pieces. [music] And you could tell from. the the way he said that he believed it. When I found out that they had arrested. Marvin Potter [music] and Jamie, I knew. what it was over. It was over Janelle. and the stuff that she had pretty much. put in their heads. >> He said he was trying to protect you. He.

said that [music] they had threatened. that they would chop you up and rape you. and kill you. >> Yes. >> Is that what you told him? Cuz they. weren't telling him that directly. Somehow he had to be getting word that. >> these people were going to do some. grievous, serious harm to you. He would. go in town and there was people that. would tell him that that there was. people out to hurt me to get me. Case closed. Far from it. Buddy Potter.

and Jamie Kurd, according to. investigators, they're not even the half. of it. >> You started to realize that this is. bigger than just Marvin Buddy Potter. This is something to do with the other. people in this house. >> Exactly. Exactly. More mystery, more. murderers, and now a mastermind. A new. character enters the story, a purported. CIA assassin. >> A lot of killing. A lot of killing. people. >> All part of what prosecutors call the.

craziest, stupidest, deadliest. catfishing scheme you have ever seen. >> [music]. >> This is where Billy Payne and Billy Jean. were murdered in this house. And there's. no pulse. There's no pulse on either one. of them. They're white. They're kids. >> I mean, this was one of the biggest, craziest things that had happened in. years. >> You give him the pictures of the people. that you say are taunting you, and you. don't think he's going to do anything.

about it? >> There was one other person there. >> Did you ever want Billy Jean and Bill. Payne to die? No, never. >> You didn't even want them dead. >> No, [music] I didn't even want them. hurt. >> It appeared that there was some type of. conspiracy here. They, you know, they. they kept referring to a guy named. Chris. >> Who is Chris? >> Uh, he was CIA agent. Tall, blonde hair, and blue [music] eyes. >> Jason Bourne. Did he ever talk about the. kinds of things he did for work? >> He did.

>> What were those things? >> I like killing people. I think someone else was playing games. with our minds, our computer, our life. >> There is nothing in your lives that has. prepared you to understand the Potter. family. >> If you had to describe Janelle and. Barbara with one word, what would you. use? >> Evil. That's what I would say. Evil. >> [music].

>> What kind of person would take a. revolver to a man who's sleeping and. shoot him in [music] the face and then. go to a woman who's running away with a. child, an infant in her arms? >> Cold blooded and he's. >> shoot the side of the head. >> He's not cold blooded. That whole thing. is so sad. I'm so sad they died. That. it's it's always bothered me that it had. to involve my family. This situation of two people being.

murdered in their own home was a great. shock. and I think there was some relief once. Marvin and Jamie were arrested. >> The shootings of Billy Payne and Billy. Jean Hayworth seemed close to being. solved. But unlike horseshoes and hand. grenades, close doesn't count in a. murder case. And authorities are. wondering whether all the killers have. actually been caught. While Buddy Potter is interrogated, other investigators search the Potter.

home and pickup truck. >> I was left there along with other. investigators to conduct a search of the. Potter residence in, you know, an. attempt to look for ammunition, uh, any. type of firearms, uh, that would be for. a 38 special or a 9mm. >> They were searching the house. >> Yes, they did do that. Did they go into. your room? >> Um, no. They went to my parents' room.

first and then they went to the second. bedroom that we had, which where my dad. would keep his clothes and his stuff, and then um my room and then the. computer room. [music]. >> There's Deputy Joe Woodard and a stunned. looking Barbara and Janelle Potter. during the search. >> So, did you notice anything odd in the. house or anything unusual? Whenever the. investigators went downstairs, there was. a lot of firearms. We had rifles,

shotguns, semi. I mean, it's just one of. those. >> An arsenal. >> An arsenal, basically. Yes. Guns in the basement, guns in the. bedroom, guns in the dresser drawer, and. guns under the mattress. There's [music]. even an ammo belt on his oxygen tank. And knives, lots of knives all over the. house, even hanging from the antlers on. the wall. The search also turns up. pictures printed from Facebook, including one of the recently murdered.

Billy Jean Hayworth. >> Even found pictures of the victims in. the living room. In the living room. found pictures of the victims in the. living room. >> Yes. >> Investigators say about 7 months before. the murders, Janelle grabbed this photo. of Billy Jean Hayworth from Facebook, emailed it to herself, then printed it. off. The subject line, Billy. >> a [music] printed out picture of. Billy Gene Hayworth, with the [music] title.

>> which is kind of an odd thing to find. after someone has been murdered in their. house holding their baby. >> Exactly. >> You printed out a picture of her and. wrote across [music] the top. >> No, my dad wanted um pictures of who was. bothering [music] me. >> So, you gave your dad pictures of the. people who were bothering you? >> Yes. Why would you do that? >> Um, he just wanted to know cuz if he was. out and if someone was harassing me, he. would want to know who they were. [music].

>> Just then, Barbara Potter does something. she will come to regret. >> Barbara was sitting on the couch next to. Chief investigator Joe Woodard, who was. logging the evidence. [music] At one. point, Barbara picks up a stack of. papers, looks at him, >> and all of a sudden, she ripped it in. half. And I stopped her and I said, "Give me those pieces of paper.". >> Why did you fold up the picture of Billy. Jean and try to hide it and tear it up? >> I didn't. And I've tried to explain that. over and over, but.

>> you didn't do that. [music]. >> I was tired and I was kind of nervous. I. said, "Well, I'm getting bored." You. know, I just started doing that, not. thinking that there was even picture in. there cuz I didn't know it was there. And then when I whenever um I picked it. up and I just made a little tear and I. thought it was just. >> you didn't rip it in half. >> Authorities aren't buying it. They. charge Barbara with tampering with. evidence. >> They also seize what may have been. Barbara and Janelle's fondest. possession, the family computer.

>> I believe there was just one desktop. computer that they all used. Janelle. [music] and Barbara. Marvin didn't get. on the computer at all that I know of. I. don't think I've ever heard him say. anything about being on the computer. >> Remember how the bullet that killed. Billy had been scratched, marked with an. X? Investigators find similar 38 caliber. bullets in Buddy's pickup. >> Marvin had taken a knife and scratched. X's into the tip of the bullet to.

basically create hollow points. Investigators also discovered something. in the bed of Buddy's pickup that will. prove to be even more incriminating in. the long run. And not just for Buddy. They noticed several bags of shredded. paper. So they went ahead closed. everything back up and the vehicle was. then transported [music] to the TBI lab. in Knoxville, Tennessee. Those shreds of.

evidence leave investigators to a. shadowy figure. >> They kept referring to a guy named. Chris. Uh that's supposedly a CIA. operative or or something. [music]. >> Who is Chris? >> Marvin Buddy Potter is in jail awaiting. trial and so is Janelle Potter's. boyfriend Jamie Kirk. But the feeling in. town and at the courthouse is that.

justice has not been fully served. >> I blame Janelle. >> immediately. >> Mhm. Because I mean it was her fault. She was. the one that we was friends with and she. was the one that started the lies. >> Janelle should have been held just. [clears throat] as accountable as. [music] as them. Billy Jean's sisters, Beverly and Janie, say even before the murders, they. believed Janelle was the troublemaker. Jealousy, [music].

attention. She's attention getter. And. like, sis, you know, follow she would do. the same thing to Billy Jean. She would. follow them around all the time. Billy. would call me and she'd be like, Janelle's behind me. [music] There she. is again. I mean, just constantly. If you had to describe Janelle and. Barbara with one word, what would you. use? >> Evil. That's what I would say. Evil. >> It was several months after the arrest.

of Jamie and Buddy that I came into the. case. I knew there was some thought in. the community that the women were behind. the killings, but they hadn't been. charged. >> I think that [music]. Janelle and Barbara were the ring. leaders. I think they were the ones that. were the manipulators. And I think they. convinced Marvin and Jamie to do. something awful to Bill and Billy Jean. [music] and they followed through with. it. >> Early on, we wanted to charge Barbara. and Janelle, but really didn't have.

enough. >> We mentioned yesterday about Potter's. daughter. She was in court today as an. observer. Although she has not been. charged with any crime at this point, prosecutors say she is at the center of. this investigation. They say she is the. common link to all of the parties. involved. Throughout the investigation, Buddy maintained that Barbara and. Janelle really didn't have anything to. do [music] with the homicides, that he. acted unilaterally in an attempt to. protect his family.

>> Now, investigators take note of Barbara. Potter's conversation with Jamie Kurd. when he made that phone call to the. house after his confession. >> Whenever Jaime had called their. residence, Barbara was the one that. first answered the phone. Did it go all. right? [music]. >> Yeah. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> And they just let you go and that's it. It's over. >> Yeah. >> Well, that's wonderful. We've been. praying our hearts out. Gently even saw an angel today. >> Come in the computer room. And I said,

"Oh, that's good. We've all been praying. so hard.". >> And you know, she was asking, "How did. the polygraph go?". >> Did you have a lie detector? >> Yeah. >> And you passed it. >> Yeah. Well, that's wonderful. I'm so glad, honey. >> And investigators are even more. suspicious of Barbara's reaction when. her husband calls and confesses to. murder. >> Janelle [clears throat] and Barbara know. what you did at all. >> After his confession, [music] he made a.

recorded phone call to his wife Barbara. where he told her that I did it. I. killed them. Before you find out from somebody else, I want you to know I was involved in it. I did it. >> I'm on the fence. >> And immediately Barbara turns into Mama. Bear saying, "Oh no, honey, you didn't. You were right here the whole time. Tell. them that you didn't do it. I saw you.

There's no way you could have done it. You were right here next to me all. night. >> You don't have no rest and you don't. have your oxygen. really not yourself right now. >> I know. Sorry. [music] I just. >> It don't matter no more. >> Has the nurse checked you? >> No. >> They said a nurse was checking [music]. you to tell her what meds you're on and. your oxygen and all that, but um you. needed [music] to say, you know, you're not Gary. You're not y.

that. >> I don't think she was really shocked. It's just like I if she was shocked, she. was probably shocked that he told, but I. don't think that she was shocked that he. had done it because in my mind, I think. she knew that he did it. >> I don't know that he did it. As far as I. know, he was in my home all night. He. was in that lounge chair asleep. >> Not in bed, though. >> He He sat up at night every night. because of what was happening. And.

when I woke up at 7:00, he was in bed. I thought he was in a lounge chair. >> He came to bed. >> I didn't hear him come to bed. >> She was telling Marvin that you didn't. [music] have anything to do with that. I. saw you. You were here all night. >> This is it was not yielding cuz you were. here. [music]. You have to say that. Yeah. Sorry. You say that. >> She was trying to convince him that no,

you didn't do this. Ready? They they try. to fix, you know, they'll fix you and. just trying to say things that didn't. happen. >> He's just saying I'm dead, but you're. not. You're here. >> I saw you. >> In that call, Janelle also encourages. her father to [music] claim he's. innocent. >> Daddy. >> Yes. >> Are you okay? >> No. Janelle, >> I've been so upset. Honey,

don't worry about it. Just take care of. yourself. >> But this isn't right. You didn't do anything. You were here. I'm so sorry that you have to go through. this. >> In 2013, Buddy Potter is found guilty of. the murders of Billy Payne and Billy. Jean Hayworth, getting two consecutive. life sentences. If Barbara and Janelle know more than. they're saying, authorities suspect.

those three trash bags found in Buddy's. pickup [music]. could contain a shredded paper trail. >> We took those shredded documents. One of. our [music] agents spent a month of her. life taping those back together. >> And what they were were printouts of. emails, printouts of instant messages, [music] printouts of pictures from. Facebook, emails from Barbara, emails. from Janelle. Authorities said that. Buddy Potter didn't have much use for. the computer. So, they said that Barbara. would pull the family protector into the.

online war of words by printing out the. alarming emails and social media posts. and anything she wanted him to see. >> Barbara tells Buddy about everything. that goes on and sort of gets him all. upset because Janelle's upset because. he's afraid somebody's going to hurt. them. But some of those emails also talk about. murder. >> You know, they talked about killing. Billy, killing Billy Jean. >> It appeared that there was some type of.

conspiracy here. They, you know, they. they kept referring to a guy named Chris. that's supposedly a CIA operative or or. something. >> Who was Chris? >> I'm not sure now. I don't know. I don't. know. When Jamie Kurd [music] was. interviewed at the end, he asked, >> "Is the CIA here?" CIA. >> Very strange question to me. >> Why don't you ask about the CIA?

>> I had certainly never experienced. anything like this in my career to that. point. And I [music] can say a decade. later that I haven't seen anything else. like it since. We knew that they had to be looking at a. computer somewhere because they're the. type that's always got to be doing. something on a computer. We are going to the library right in the. middle of town.

>> Law enforcement isn't ready to close the. book on the murders of Billy Payne and. Billy Gene Hworth. Investigators follow Barbara and Janelle. photographing their Ford Explorer. outside. >> So, we made contact with the library and. the uh library said that they usually. came here. [music] So, they called us. whenever they were here. >> The Johns County Sheriff's Department. did keep an eye on the Potter women and. there is surveillance video of them. going to the local library.

They videotaped them sitting at these. two computers and they got them as they. walked through and they even went and. was shining the key fob camera through. the books just so that we could see what. they were doing each. They were logging on to topics, logging. into their email, logging on to. Facebook, and [music] just continuing. this narrative of Janelle being a.

victim. >> Not a crime, but evidence, investigators. say, of how obsessed these two women are. with what people are saying about them. online, even after two people have been. murdered. It shows Janelle has to have a. computer to know what's going on and you. know what are they saying about her. That way she can reply back. [music]. And now enters one of the spookiest. characters ever to appear in a murder.

investigation. His name is Chris. After we did subpoenas and search. warrants and got emails, instant message. records, text message records, we. started seeing this name Chris pop up. >> Barbara is talking back and forth to. supposedly a CIA agent named Chris. >> When Jamie Kurd makes his confession, everything's done. There's silence in.

the room and Jamie just all of a sudden. asks, [music]. "I've got one question I need to ask. you." And they go, "What's that?". >> Is the CIA here? CIA? No. >> Mike and and Scott were sort of shocked. by, you know, where did that even come. from? >> The officers had no idea what he was. talking about. [music]. >> I asked about the CIA. because uh he uh said he works for him. He assumed [music] and probably hoped. that the CIA was on the other side of.

that door ready to take this case away. from the TBI and and set him free. >> Who is Chris? >> Uh he was CIA agent. Um tall, blonde. hair and blue eyes. >> Jason Bourne. What kind of stuff did he. do? >> Um he said he was down here to protect. me, protect my parents. He communicated. with them through Janelle's email.

account, through her Facebook. They were. as tight as could be and they were. close. Barbara would receive emails from this. guy Chris, but the emails were still. coming from Janelle Potter's email. address. >> Do you find it odd that Chris was. written from your personal [music]. account? That all those emails were. written from your personal account? Yes. >> And you never noticed that. You never. asked the question. And all of that. correspondence, there's not a single.

question. Hey, why is this person. writing for my account? >> Yes. I And it never showed up. But yes, I had asked how. >> who. >> I I emailed him through my email. and I said, you know, how did you get my. um screen name password? I changed my. password lots of times. >> I've done everything. It really does. seem like bad fantasy fiction. A secret. agent mixed up in a small town drama. falling for a damsel in distress.

>> He would never show up in person. I. would ask him to come over or meet me. Nothing. >> How'd you feel about him? >> Well, he was a friend. >> I mean, he wasn't just your friend. He. was. >> um. >> from the emails that I read, it seemed. like you guys were very, very [music]. intimate. >> Um, we weren't. Actually, he told my mom. he wanted to marry me at one point. >> Janelle says this. Chris seems to know. her as well as she knows herself.

>> He would say things like, "Well, I saw. you today." And he would tell me what I. was wearing, [music]. what I was doing, how my hair was, and I. was like, "Okay, this is weird.". >> Uncanny, >> really weird. Chris even emails Jamie Kurd via. Janelle's account gushing about Janelle. She just put up some new pics on. Facebook. [music] You might want to. look. She is cute. And love advice tips. on how to be a better boyfriend to.

Janelle. >> There were some Chris emails out there. where Chris would suggest, why don't you. get Janelle to [music] go out with you. tonight and and take her out somewhere? >> Here's Romantic Trade [music] Craft. CIA. Chris probably did not pick up at. Langley, but he offers it to Jamie. Make. sure you have candles and a card. Make. the bed really pretty and just love on. her. She is a wonderful, sweet, caring. girl.

But Chris also [music] has a cold streak. and he's supposedly a bloodthirsty. assassin. >> Did he ever talk about the kinds of. things he did for work? >> He did. What were those things? >> A lot of killing. A lot of killing. people. >> CIA Chris claims he's monitoring Billy. Payne and Billy Jean Hayward has their. house bugged, phones tapped, says he. knows they're up to no good. >> He was watching these people, he said,

that were harassing her on on [music]. the computer. >> He would say how upset he was. Um, you. know, why would anyone want to mistreat. me? >> He got mad. >> Yes. How mad did he get? >> He got mad. I mean, he got really mad. >> He wanted to hurt everybody. >> Who specifically did he want to hurt? >> I think it was Bill, Billy, Jean, everyone who was picking on me. Anyone. that picked on me, he was after.

>> The emails show CIA Chris is angry. Authorities say he and Barbara talk. about settling scores. And this was. actually in the shredded [music]. documents that are found in the truck. Uh she writes to Chris, "Bud is so mad. and I'm 100% behind whatever happens. You guys meet when you are ready, Chris. Maybe Bud can use CIA guns, >> [music]. >> etc. for his protection. Get the jobs. done. You know, they all need to go and. the ones left need to be given a big.

scare as they watch and wonder, am I. next?". That's chilling. The job is obviously the murderer. >> Absolutely. >> Job needs to get done. >> Absolutely. But Bud can't do it by. himself. He needs CIA guns with him. >> At this point, identifying this. fantastic character, CIA Chris, becomes. key to closing this murder case.

Who is Chris? >> Is Jamie Kurd Chris? Janelle? >> I don't know. You can do this. >> I think we're done there. We're done. >> In the months after Billy Payne and. Billy Jean Hayworth were gunned down, Janelle and Barbara Potter report being. threatened by members of the community. who suspected that the Potter women were. also involved in the murders.

>> A lot of people are are sort of. harassing them. They're trying to set me. up, but I don't like this cuz I'm very. sick. >> They threw rocks at the house. I was. calling the police a lot. >> They even throw rocks in the yard there. just to leave a message with Billy. Jean's name on it, with Bill's name on. it. >> Their guardian angel, CIA Chris, seems. to be missing an action. But when. authorities take a closer look at the. computer seized from the Potter house,

they [music] have a Eureka moment. And. that's because the IP address on Chris's. emails [music] leads back to only one. place. >> Every one of them pointed straight back. to Barbara and Janelle's home address. >> It was the same IP address, meaning that. the emails were all generated at that. house. >> Authorities develop a theory that. Janelle's a sort of Kaiser Sos of the. keyboard. Remember him from the movie. The Usual Suspects? >> I work for Kaiser So. >> There is no Kaiser Sos. creating the.

identity of Chris to con those closest. to her and convince them that she's in. danger and needs help. >> Once we started looking at the. communications between the Potter. family, between Chris, between Jamie. Kurd, that's when we started building. the case against [music] Barbara and. Janelle. >> Investigators have their theory, but no. definitive proof. At least not until the. Potter women show up at the sheriff's. office to file complaints of harassment.

That's when authorities deise a test. >> I had them type out statements so that. we can see how Barbara writes and see. how Janelle writes. [music] The reports. that they made about this alleged. harassment, the word choice, the. spelling, the grammar, the punctuation. was compared against these emails. And. it was [music] interesting that this. Chris character had the same spelling. mistakes, had the same grammar mistakes. as Janelle. That's when the pieces. [music] started falling into place.

>> Authorities believe that Janelle wrote. messages as Chris to her mother, Barbara, that falsely reported threats. of rape and murder by the victims. >> Barbara would take this information and. show it to Buddy. Buddy, look. Look what. they're trying to do to Janelle. Look. what they're trying to do. And finally, they [music] just pushed him to his. limit. >> Marvin Potter and Barbara Potter truly. believed these people were out to harm. Janelle. They really thought that people. were out to kill her. >> She knew exactly what to do to get to.

her mom. She knew exactly what to do to. get to her dad. Janelle manipulated. everybody that she dealt with. >> Janelle was writing these Chris emails. >> Janelle was pretending to be the CIA. agent. >> She was masterminding a murder. conspiracy. The events that she set into. motion ultimately resulted in the death. of two innocent people. >> So she's catfishing her mom from the. same house from the same computer. >> It's hard to believe that you could do.

that from the same house. >> This is the worst catfishing I've ever. heard of. >> Yeah, it it. >> I mean it's beyond absurd. [music]. >> In all catfish cases, at some point the. the victim of the catfishing is is is. guilty of [music] some degree of being. naive. Barbara has no idea that Janelle. is [music] using the same computer and. her own email address to create the. [music] fictitious Chris. She bought it. hookline and sinker. >> I don't think she created anyone. I. think someone [music] else was.

playing games with our minds, our. computer, our life. >> But Janelle's mother, Barbara, is about. to go from naive to nefarious. [music]. And in the email exchanges with Chris, it sure sounds like she really wants. Billy Payne and Billy Jean Hayworth. dead. In one email, Barbara writes, "We've had enough. No one wants to kill. anyone, but we will." Why did you write. to Chris that you wanted them dead?

>> I didn't. >> Yeah, you did from these emails. >> Well, you can bleed those emails if you. want. I never want anyone dead and I. would never plan a murder. That is not. me. >> And you write, "I will kill if I have. to. Not just hurt, but killed.". >> That's not me. That is not me. Barbara says someone hacked into her. email, but authorities don't buy it. They say that her writing style from the. harassment complaints matches what's in.

the emails to Chris. >> The more I studied them, the more I. realized these crimes do not happen. without these two women proddding these. men along. A year and a half after the. murders of Billy Payne and Billy Gan. Hworth, Barbara Potter and her. 32-year-old daughter Janelle are under. arrest for murder. We finally got the. word from the DA to go ahead and arrest. >> a mother and daughter [music] charged. with murder. >> Accused of killing a Johnson County. couple. >> Barbara and Janelle Potter are charged. with firstdegree murder of Bill Payne.

Jr. and Billy Gene Hworth. >> I jump for joy. I think I said. hallelujah. About [music] time. Authorities claim Janelle's motive for. creating Chris was jealousy. If Janelle. couldn't have Billy Payne, nobody could. >> Janelle had a crush on Bill Payne. And. the Chris emails start after Billy Jean. Hayworth. moves in with Bill Payne and gets. pregnant. Chris would talk about the. baby, baby Tyler. They would call him.

that damn baby. That baby needs to die. No one talks that way about an infant. other than a woman perhaps who is. jealous that that's not her infant. >> Janelle is behind bars at the Johnson. County Jail in 2015 when she and her. attorney sat down for an interview with. me about the case. [music]. >> You don't have any responsibility for. the murder of Billy Payne, >> Billy Jane.

>> No. >> None. No. >> No. >> But you hated them. >> No, I didn't. >> You hated them enough to tell your. father that they were really torturing. you. And you must have hated them if. what you say is true that they were. harassing you time after time again. >> I just disliked them. I wanted to quit. I wanted the harassment to stop. [music]. I went through a lot with them, but I. never wished them dead. I never wanted. them dead. >> And then I [music] bring up Chris. Chris. was you. >> You are Chris. You invented him.

>> No, I didn't. He didn't. >> No, just happened to be from your email. Happened to know all the most intimate. details about you. And it just so. happened that the only emails Chris has. ever [music] written are exclusively. about you now. >> No, because he was writing to my mom and. he was writing to Jamie. >> Of course, from your computer with your. fingertips. >> It was from your IP address, from your. email address. >> I don't think we're going to get into. that. She [music] said. >> everything leads back to Chris. Chris.

apparently. >> created this scenario. >> She stated she's not Chris and that's. what she maintains. >> Can't do this. >> Janelle Potter shuts down in tears and. walks out of our interview. Janelle may deny the authorities. allegations that she is Chris [music]. and that she's behind the online. threats. But when this case actually. does go to trial, you're never going to. believe [music] who shows up. >> My name is Christopher Jaden. Turns out.

Chris isn't total [music] fiction. >> In the Johnson County community, there. was an immense amount of anticipation. for [music] this trial. I mean, this was one of the biggest, craziest things that had happened in. years. [music]. The interest in it never really died. down. >> [music]. >> The trial of a mother and daughter. charged with murder for the 2012 deaths. of a Johnson County couple underway. right now in Jonesboro. [music] The.

biggest factors in Barbara and Janelle's. trial was making the jury understand. that all of this drama was being driven. by Janelle. It was [music] about. Janelle, by Janelle, for Janelle. There. is nothing in your lives that has. prepared you to understand the Potter. family. >> Investigators realize that there are. even more people than they thought. caught up in Janelle's web. Turns out.

Janelle does know a real person named. Chris. >> We were able to get Chris Jaden, the. real Chris, to come down to court. >> My name is Christopher Jaden. We. determined, well, Chris Jaden was a guy. that Dell went to high school with. >> She was uh, you know, one of those kids. that is very strange. >> Ends up he was a police officer in. Delaware. >> When we asked him directly, do you work. for the CIA? And him saying no, I think.

that that kind of put a face on the. faceless CIA threat that Janelle always. had in her back pocket. But Cameron. Haidider, who represented Janelle, tried. to present her as not capable of doing. something like this. >> She is not capable of directing anyone. to commit murder. It's just not in her. [music]. >> Janelle's defense attorney even called. an expert to testify about Janelle's. level of intelligence. [music]. >> Very severely imperish cognitively. It's.

functioning very much at H life. >> She may be operating on a fourth grade. level, but she's got a PhD in. manipulation. You know, even kids can. manipulate their parents and she did it. to the hilt. [music]. >> She always had my parents to go to and. when she had problem with school, they. went to school took care of it. >> Would you say that she was intelligent? >> She was more intelligent than people. gave her credit for. >> In what way? >> Manipulative. >> So, she wasn't good at school work, but. she was good at working people. [music]. >> Yes. >> Especially her parents.

>> Yes. >> It's very difficult for Barbara to. discern what is fact and what's fiction. She has been catfished. >> Prosecutors say that despite Barbara. being entangled in Janelle's. manipulation, she still bears. responsibility for the murders. And. prosecutors have found evidence that. they say [music] shows that Barbara knew. exactly what was going to happen to. Billy Payne and Billy Jean Hworth. >> She had emailed herself a link to a. Billy Graham article saying, [music].

"Can God forgive a murderer?" Couple. weeks before the murders, you had. searched, [music]. "Can God forgive a murderer?". >> No, I didn't. That's not me. No, I did. [music] not. >> I saw that in court and I said, "Where. did that come from? Why would I do that? I don't want [music] anybody murdered.". >> Today, the state called six witnesses to. the stand, one of which we've been. anticipating all week, Mr. Jamie Kerr. >> We had worked out a plea deal with Jamie. Kurd in exchange for his cooperation.

>> I can't kill nobody. I mean, having a. gun and being able to use it is two. different things. >> Looking back on it, do you feel like. you've been manipulated in any way by. Potter family? >> Yes. If you're wanting the case to be. everyone sitting around a table mapping. out how they're going to go do the. killing, [music] you know, we never had. that. Our belief was that cozying up to. Jamie was an effort to get Jaime. conditioned to assist Buddy. Jaime Kurt ultimately pleaded guilty to.

facilitation of first-degree murder and. received two concurrent sentences of 25. years. [music] It's a story. of a manufactured conflict. born out of the mind of a very bored, lonely 30-year-old woman. >> [music]. >> One thing that was very telling about. Janelle being involved in the. preparation for the killing is the text. messaging she does with Jamie up through.

the morning. She's [music] telling. Jamie, "Leave your cell phone at home.". >> Messages on there, you know, show dad's. starting to truck and he's on his way. And then all of a sudden the text. messaging ends. and presumably around 5 in the morning, Buddy [music] picks up Jamie and they. drive over there. So that to me linked her knowing exactly. what was going to happen.

>> Where's the evidence? Easy to say, hard. to prove. >> This was an act of an overprotective. father who went way too far. My client is not culpable. Marvin Potter. is behind bars and is fully culpable for. these homicides, as is Jamie Kurt. This. may have been more than what [music]. Barbara or Janelle intended, but that. doesn't change what they did. That. doesn't change how they manipulated.

Buddy Potter and [music]. Jamie Kerr into taking this drastic, horrible action. The evidence in this case has been. completed and now mind you to instruct. [music] you as to the law. >> It was up to a jury to decide whether. this duo, Janelle Potter and Barbara. Potter were [music] capable of plotting. a double murder. Now the jury must. deliberate the Potter women's fate. [music]. >> The families of the victims were in. court today. >> It was just like you're sitting there on. pins and needles.

>> And now family loyalties begin to fray. >> I'm not going to cover anybody else. take care of myself right now. [laughter]. >> You wouldn't take a hit for your. daughter. [music]. >> Less than 24 hours after closing. arguments, the jury delivers a verdict. in Barbara [music] and Janelle's double. murder trial. >> The families of the victims were in. court today. >> It was just like you're sitting there on. pins and needles. >> It's been physically and emotionally. exhausting. [music]. >> You would please bring the jury in,

please. We the jury find the defendant Janelle. Potter guilty of first-degree murder. And Barbara May Potter guilty first. degree murder. Barbara and Janelle were both found. guilty of two counts of first-degree. murder and two counts of conspiracy to. commit firstdegree murder. Barbara was. also convicted of tampering with. evidence. It's a relief that the people.

most responsible are going to be held. accountable. >> It was hard. We have justice. This. part's over, but it will never be over. I think about it every day. >> I know [music]. me. God knows me. >> Did you ever want Billy Jean and Bill. Payne to die? >> No. Never. [music]. >> You didn't even want them dead. >> No. It seems to me that you are either. completely innocent [music] and. blameless in this or you are an. exquisite liar. >> Oh wow. Well, what do you believe?

>> The victim's families have the last word. at a sentencing hearing with Billy. Payne's mother addressing the Potters. directly. >> Robert you know you're going to hell. Yeah, you're going to hell. And if I. have to forgive any of you, stay out of. hell. I'll see you there. >> Janelle Potter court hereby sentences. you to a term of imprisonment for life. Barbara Potter, court hereby sentenced.

you to imprisonment for life. Barbara Potter's postconviction attorney. was able to latch on to a conflict of. interest that her trial council had by. representing both Barbara Potter and. [music] her husband. >> So, she gets a new trial. It starts back. from square one. Rather than go through. all of that, she had requested to enter. into a plea agreement. I have a clean. conscience about having [music] a part. of this, but I'm a part of it because.

I've been pulled into it. >> You wouldn't take a hit for your. daughter. >> I love her, but I'm not going to serve. life for her now. >> So, years after our conversation where. Barbara insisted she was innocent, she. finally admits guilt. >> I plead guilty, your honor. >> Barbara pleads guilty to facilitation of. first-degree murder. >> Her original sentence was life without. parole. This plea agreement changes. that, making her eligible for parole. >> Janelle and Buddy Potter also filed for.

appeal, but they were denied. This is a story [music] that has shaken. that little mountain town for over a. decade now. And what remains etched in. everyone's minds is the memories of the. victims, Billy Payne and [music] Billy. Jean, and their infant son, Tyler. >> It's the little boy. Just thinking about. him just breaks my heart. >> You're lucky in life to meet people who. I think touch everybody they come in.

contact with. And that was Bill and. Billy Jean. They were just always happy. and love life. >> And above all, the couple loved their. son Tyler. After the murders, he was. taken in by his maternal grandmother. He's now 12 years old. Meanwhile, Janelle's secret boyfriend and. codefendant, Jamie Kurd, has now been. released from prison on parole. He. declined to be interviewed. That is our. program for tonight. I'm David Mureer. >> And I'm Deborah Roberts. From all of us. here at 2020 and ABC News, good.