Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Billy & Billie Jean’ of CBS’ ‘Harlan Coben’s Final Twist,’ the primary focus is on the horrific killings of couple Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne Jr. in late January 2012. As the detectives followed up on the clues and evidence, they discovered a deadly plot behind the killings, motivated by an alleged social media feud. Thanks to the insightful interviews with the deceased’s loved ones and the officials linked to the investigation, the documentary provides a detailed account of the case and what actually transpired during and after the crime.
Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne Jr. Were Found Dead in Their Tennessee Home
Born on July 10, 1975, in Boone, North Carolina, to Billy Ray Payne and Beverly Dugger Garland, Billy Clay “Goat” Payne Jr. grew up alongside his sister, Tracy, and a brother named Joshua Garland. A devout Christian, he became a member of Walnut Grove Baptist Church. Coin collecting was one of the many hobbies he had developed. Additionally, he enjoyed visiting flea markets, attending auctions, and participating in yard sales. His life changed for the better when he crossed paths with Billie Jean Hayworth, whom he began dating. The couple eventually got engaged and became parents to a son named Tyler Payne. Moreover, Billy was also a father to Justin Payne, a son from a previous relationship.
The daughter of Carl Dean Hayworth and Martha Pierce Hayworth, Billie was born on March 19, 1988, in Johnson County, Tennessee. Growing up alongside her siblings — Janie, Beverly, Gregory, and Darrell — she developed a liking for the outdoors. Being an active individual, she enjoyed going fishing, running, hiking, and playing volleyball. Just like Billy, she also liked spending time at flea markets, auctions, and yard sales. The Victory Chapel Church goer prioritized her friends and family, especially her fiancé and their son.
The couple led a peaceful life with their infant son in Mountain City, Tennessee. Their lives came to an abrupt end on January 31, 2012, when Billie and Billy were found dead in their home by one of their friends. When the police rushed to the scene of the crime, they discovered that each of them had a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Meanwhile, Billy also had a cut on his throat. Their seven-month-old baby was unharmed and in the arms of Billie. As a result, a homicide investigation was immediately launched in order to get to the bottom of the execution-style murders.
Four Individuals Were Suspected of Being Involved in the Double Homicide
As part of the investigation, the detectives interviewed friends, family members, and acquaintances of Billie Jean Hayworth and Billy Payne Jr. Upon digging deep into the lives of the deceased, they learned that they were on bad terms with the Potter family — Jenelle Potter and her parents, Marvin and Barbara Potter — in the days leading up to the murders. Just one day after the killings, the investigators interviewed the Potters at their home, but they provided a solid alibi and maintained their innocence. At the time, Jenelle was dating a man named Jamie Lynn Curd, who, as a result, became a person of interest as well. Interestingly, he was Billy’s cousin.
When Jamie failed a polygraph test during his interrogation, he confessed to going over to the residence of Billy and Billie with Jenelle’s father, Marvin, a former Marine. As per his claims, Marvin was the one who shot the couple to death while he served as the watchman. Next, the detectives brought in the ex-Marine for further questioning and confronted him with Jamie’s claims. Marvin told them, “I’ve had my life threatened. My wife has been threatened. They’ve threatened to take Jenelle, cut her head off.” The authorities then set up a call between Marvin and Barbara, suggesting that he should tell her about his involvement in the crime himself. On the call, he told his wife, “Before you find out from somebody else, I want you to know, I was involved in it. I did it…At least some of it.”
An Alleged Social Media Feud Played a Role in the Killings of Billie and Billy
The police executed a search warrant on the Potter residence, where they uncovered more secrets. Not only did they find printed photos of Billy and Billie in the living room, but the detectives also found bags of shredded documents in Marvin’s truck. They seized a total of 51 items from the property, including the computer. After reconstructing more than 100 pages from the shredded documents, they realized that they were printouts of email conversations between the Potter family and a CIA operative named Chris. The CIA operative seemed to be warning Barbara about possible threats to Jenelle’s life, implying that Billy and Billie had been plotting something sinister against her. Upon learning that the emails sent by Chris originated from the same IP address at the Potter residence, investigators concluded that Jenelle posed as Chris and fooled her mother into hatching a murder plot against Billy and Billie.
As the authorities dug deeper, they learned that Jenelle had a crush on Billy, whom she met through his sister, Tracy Greenwell. In the weeks leading up to the double homicide, Jenelle claimed that she had been receiving harassing messages and comments on her social media from Billie Hayworth. However, according to prosecutors, Jenelle herself posted the anonymous messages on her account and blamed Billie due to her jealousy. Eventually, on February 8, 2012, Jamie Curd and Marvin Potter were arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder each. In August 2013, Jenelle and Barbara Potter were also arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder in the murders of Billy and Billie.
Barbara and Marvin Potter Are Currently Incarcerated at Separate Tennessee Prisons
A few months later, in October 2013, Marvin Potter was convicted of the charges against him and received two consecutive life sentences. Meanwhile, Jamie Curd took a plea deal and agreed to testify against Jenelle and Barbara Potter during their trials. He received two concurrent sentences of 25 years in prison. Several months later, in May 2015, the trials of Jenelle and Barbara got underway. After an intense seven-day trial, the jury found both defendants guilty. A couple of months later, they were sentenced to life in prison.
In the following years, Barbara Potter continued maintaining her innocence. She and her husband, Marvin, filed multiple appeals to get their convictions overturned, but they were denied. However, in 2021, Barbara’s conviction was overturned, and she ended up pleading guilty to the lesser charge of facilitation of murder. As a result, she was resentenced to 25 years in prison. As of today, Barbara Potter is serving her sentence at West Tennessee State Penitentiary in Henning, Tennessee, with her parole hearing date scheduled for June 2028. Meanwhile, the former Marine, Marvin Potter, is incarcerated at Turney Center Industrial Complex in Only, Tennessee.
Read More: Where Are Jenelle Potter and Jamie Lynn Curd Now?
