Unfriended (Billy Payne & Billie Jean Hayworth)
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What was the background of the murder case?
I mean, that's all I could tell you is they have been harassing and living crap on me.
The only thing I had ever posted was, please leave me alone.
I'm Scott Weinberger, investigative journalist and former deputy sheriff.
I'm Anastasia Nicolazzi, former New York City homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discovery's True Conviction.
And this is Anatomy of Murder. Before we get started today, I just wanted to mention that today's case will be our 200th episode. So let me just say it would not be possible without our amazing AOM staff of producers, researchers, editors, and of course, congratulations to my great friend and partner on the show, Anasiga. This is a fantastic milestone together, and I'm enjoying the ride.
And I think the one thing that I'm thinking, Scott, when I hear you say that is that it is clear that that is 200 homicides too many. And we know that is unfortunately just a piece of what is out there. But we do thank all of you, our listeners, for caring about these cases as we talk about them weekly to you.
And of course, always, if you want to stay in touch with us on social, it's at AtasigaNegalazi and at Weinberger Media. We also host two other podcasts. true crime podcasts that you may want to tune into too. But now on to today's case.
Mountain City, Tennessee is a very small, quaint town of about 2,500 people situated at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains.
It's known for its natural beauty, its bluegrass music, and in the old days, more than just a few whiskey stills. After all, this was once prime bootlegger country.
Nowadays, taking a look at Main Street where the high school football stands on a Friday night, you might think that it's the kind of place that really hasn't changed much over the years. And you'd be right. Partially.
In reality, even in this quiet corner of Appalachia, change does come, and sometimes it packs a punch. Like in January of 2012, when a Facebook feud escalated into accusations of cyberbullying, catfishing, and eventually real-life violence.
My name is Matthew Rourke. In January of 2012, I was an assistant district attorney in Johnson County, Tennessee, and I was the only prosecutor in the county. I did everything from speeding tickets to first-degree murders.
Matt was also witness to one of the strangest and more disturbing homicide cases to ever hit these parts of northeastern Tennessee.
36-year-old Billy Payne and his fiancée, 23-year-old Billie Jean Hayworth, both grew up in Mountain City and in 2012 were working in the local cotton mill and raising their seven-month-old son.
On the morning of January 31st, 2012, Billy Payne's coworker arrived at the home they shared with Billy's dad to pick him up for work.
His friend came normal time as he was supposed to and called Billy from the driveway. Usually Billy was ready, but he wasn't. So his friend called him, didn't get him. So he stepped in through the sliding glass door on the side of the house. And it was pretty well known among everybody that knew Billy Payne that, you know, that door was rarely locked.
The co-worker entered the house and called out to Billy numerous times without a response.
The first witness went in and heard an alarm clock going on and called out for Billy Payne, but Billy didn't answer. So he just assumed he was sick or that something was going on, so he left.
Later that morning at about 10 a.m., a former neighbor and friend of Billy's dad dropped by the residence to pick up some mail.
He thought it odd that both Billy Payne and Billy Jean Hayworth's vehicles were there in the driveway. So he went in the same sliding glass door that everybody goes in and out of and walked through the house.
Billy's bedroom was on the first floor of the two-bedroom Rambler. The neighbor was not prepared for what he discovered when he stepped inside the room.
He walked into the first room and saw Billy Payne laying there on the bed. He approached Billy Payne just to see if he was responsive and saw that blood going through the room and then saw the pool of blood on the bed and saw that Billy Payne's throat had been slit and he'd been shot.
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