Ash Kelley

Who called.

But Jason's attorney said that that was in an attempt to misdirect detectives.

I mean, sure, you're the lawyer, so you're going to say that, but...

yeah like i don't know or and this is just me like you know speculation speculation here it's like it could be that yep or the other possibility is that he really was calling to report that jason knows that so now he's like well he's dead now so i'm gonna put this on him because he was about to help me yeah that's the widely held belief feels like that that's the widely like like it's more like okay well now it's gonna get put on you because you can't do anything about it exactly yeah

who knows and again that's just me speculating yeah that's pure speculation but that's speculation you share with many and i do too yeah now jason's accusations left everybody familiar with the case somewhat conflicted like we're talking you actually led me right into this on one hand people were eager to finally resolve the case after more than two decades of mystery and unanswered questions and bizarre happenings but on the other hand it all seemed a little too convenient

Jason had recently been convicted of another crime where the details matched exactly what he was now claiming his uncle had done to Zeb Quinn.

Because that's the thing.

He's literally sitting there saying like, oh, my uncle did that to Jason and I just so happened to also just do that to this couple.

Because that's like a trait you guys share.

So a lot of people felt that Jason couldn't be trusted to tell the truth in any situation.

Amy Carson, a former friend and neighbor said, in a letter me and my husband received, he's basically blaming his uncle.

I really have a hard time believing that.

He's blaming someone who's dead who can't defend himself.

Yeah.

Which is what you were just saying.

Exactly.

Jason's story had put the district attorney's office in a pretty tough position.

They lacked the evidence to prosecute Jason for a murder, but at the same time, it also felt like the one chance they could finally get some justice for Zeb and his family.

So on July 25th, 2022, Jason Owens accepted a plea deal where he pleaded guilty to being an accessory to murder, and he was given a sentence to 13 to 16 years in addition to the life sentence that he was already serving.

Oh, now, according to the defense, Jason's defense, Gene Owens had, quote, duped his nephew into luring Zeb Quinn to the Pisgah National Forest to meet a woman with whom Quinn was smitten, who we can assume is Misty Taylor.