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Re: Facebook "defriending" leads to double murder
Facebook "defriending" led to double murder, police say
by Tim Ghianni / Reuters
NASHVILLE, Tenn (Reuters) - A Tennessee couple who "defriended" a woman on Facebook were murdered in their home by the jilted woman's father and another man, police said on Thursday.
"It's the worst thing I've ever seen," Johnson County Sheriff Mike Reece said, adding he had never seen anything like it in his 27 years in law enforcement in the area. "We've had murders, but nothing like this. This is just senseless."
He said Billy Clay Payne, Jr. and Billie Jean Hayworth were killed last month after they deleted Jenelle Potter, the daughter of one of the suspects, from their "friends" list. Both were shot in the head and the man had his throat cut.
The couple's 8-month-old baby was in the mother's arms, unharmed, when the bodies were found.
Marvin Enoch "Buddy" Potter Jr., 60, and Jamie Lynn Curd, 38, were each charged on Wednesday in Mountain City in northeastern Tennessee with two counts of first-degree murder. The men were arrested on Tuesday.
The case was not the first involving violence linked to Facebook. Last year in Iowa, a woman was arrested on accusations of setting fire to a friend's garage after she was defriended on the social network site, local media reported.
In Texas, a man was accused of hitting his wife after she failed to "like" a Facebook post he wrote about the anniversary of his mother's death, according to media reports.
In the Tennessee case, Reece said a couple of harassment cases had been filed against Jenelle Potter in court over "someone blocking her or taking her off."
"Once you've crossed her, you've crossed her father too," Reece said, adding that Jenelle Potter, in her late 20s or early 30s, stays home with her parents and was constantly on Facebook.
Her father, "Buddy" Potter, will return to court next week for a bond hearing after he hires an attorney. Curd, also a second cousin of one of the victims, was appointed an attorney and bond was set at $750,000 for each murder count. His preliminary hearing will be in March.
No charges have been filed against Jenelle Potter, the sheriff said. She could not reached for comment.
Curd's attorney, R.O. Smith, an assistant public defender, said it was "safe to say there's more to it than the Facebook problem, it appears."
"I wish I could provide more of what went on, but there's needless to say a lot of rumors swirling around and nothing substantiated on the rumors," Smith said.
Re: Facebook "defriending" leads to double murder
Creates an interesting question for this Potter loser who ordered the hit basically...
When you spend your entire life in a virtual world that doesn't actually exist, where is the humanity in a machine in your fabricated existence to tell you "don't murder"?
They defriended her, and in her own way... she got them kicked off of Facebook. Think about it. In her head, i'm sure that's the way that psycho sees it. This is a total win for her.
Re: Facebook "defriending" leads to double murder
Respects to victim and their friends and family.
"I wish I could provide more of what went on, but there's needless to say a lot of rumors swirling around and nothing substantiated on the rumors," Smith said.
This. They probably knew each other, but I doubt it was over Facebook. Why would the father and the other man care less about Facebook? Probably something went on prior to Facebook friend removals.
Re: Facebook "defriending" leads to double murder
^^ I agree. I think the killing was probably a little more related to something else (affair, ex-gf, etc) and the hubby had enough & defriended her. Which was the straw that broke the camels back.
The one other example of a man hitting his wife because she didnt' "Like" a story he wrote about the anniversary of his Moms death is interesting. It's probably a similar situation (myb she never liked her), but I always wonder about the ettiqutte of those posts?! For instance "My Mom passed away 3 years ago today. I miss you Mom"... do you Like that?? I've seen people do it, and I'm sure the poster doesn't take it the wrong way, but it's too iffy for me. I just leave it go.
Re: Facebook "defriending" leads to double murder
I can agree with what you guys have been saying here that Fb is just the tip of the iceberg in this unfortunate event, as well as others. No qualms on that.
However, I'd like to point out what at least Axlin12 suggested, in terms of social networking changing the way we communicate with other human beings. I'm not anti-SN by any means, it gives me a chance to stay in touch with friends in other countries/continents better than e-mail or the likes, so there are the undeniable benefits.
I recently cut back on the way I Fb, because I got fed up with the Zuckerberg model of socializing, which is signing off ones entire life for a fancy GUI. By this, I naturally mean the Timeline. I felt the things I wanted to banter with my friends in Fb were getting lost in the shuffle, so I terminated my old account and brought up a new one to host a closed group for those I felt use Fb enough to appreciate a concept of a digital lounge.
The people involved have gotten used to the idea and by social learning, have realized the benefits of sharing interesting stuff to select members, because anything one posts to a group instead of/in joint with one's own profile is likely to get additional exposure and more thought-out feedback.
The purpose this model serves is basically the basic human need of belonging to a group and contributing to it. I personally think it's funny that Z is promoting networking the other way around, yet Fb inherently allows the alternative.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Facebook "defriending" leads to double murder
I personally think that involving facebook in this kind of crime is like blaming the phone company if someone hunts down a person who dialled them by accident. Some people are just nut jobs and if isn't one thing that sets them off it's another.
Interesting post above on broader social network model. It could be i'm just resistant to change but I must say I also felt timeline looks like it might be taking the concept too far.
For me I get a lot of benifit out of facebook. It's a great way to keep in touch with people like my extended relatives where an actual phonecall might be kind of intrusive and force an awkward conversation.
Re: Facebook "defriending" leads to double murder
what about the obne where the mom beat her baby to death cuz it cried during a Farmville game
its crazy how obsessed people get over facebook
never joined doubt i ever will
And again though it has NOTHING to do with facebook and everything to do with people being pieces of shit.
