Wicked Attraction (2008–…): Season 1, Episode 11 - Murder at Twilight - full transcript
Police in a small farming community in Missouri receive an anonymous call about some bones found in the barn of an elderly couple. Authorities search their farm for days only to find little evidence. Ready to give up the search, they stumble across human remains on a neighboring property. As the body count rises, they unearth a deadly cattle scheme ending in murder.
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ON THE NIGHT OF
SEPTEMBER 10, 1982, POLICE IN
ROME, GEORGIA, RECEIVE A FRANTIC
CALL FROM KEN DOOLEY.
A UNIT IS DISPATCHED TO HIS
HOME.
THE SHOOTING AT KEN DOOLEY'S
HOUSE BEGAN WITH A PHONE CALL.
HELLO?
YOU'RE GONNA PAY.
A FEW MINUTES LATER, FOUR
SHOTS SLAMMED INTO KEN'S HOUSE.
POLICE COLLECT
SEVERAL BULLETS AND CANVASS THE
AREA.
BUT THERE ARE NO WITNESSES TO
THE CRIME.
IF IT'S A ONE-TIME INCIDENT,
UNLESS YOU KNOW WHO COMMITTED
THE CRIME, UNLESS YOU HAVE GOT
SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE
VEHICLE LEAVING THE SCENE, IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT TO LATER ON
IDENTIFY WHO COMMITTED THAT
CRIME.
THE FOLLOWING
NIGHT...
AT MIDNIGHT, POLICE ARE CALLED
TO THE RESIDENCE OF LINDA ADAIR.
THERE WAS A PHONE CALL.
SOMEONE ASKED FOR LINDA.
AND THEN, NOT LONG AFTER THAT,
THERE WAS A FIRE-BOMBING AT THE
HOUSE.
NOTHING LIKE THIS HAD HAPPENED
IN HER LIFE.
AND WHILE THE POLICE WERE THERE,
THEY BEGAN TO QUESTION PEOPLE,
LOOK AROUND.
AND AT THAT POINT, SOMEONE, A
NEIGHBOR, CAME AND SAID THAT
THEY HAD SEEN A CAR GO BY
SLOWLY.
THERE WAS A MAN DRIVING THE CAR,
AND THERE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WITH
BROWN HAIR.
POLICE LOOK FOR
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE VICTIMS
AND LEARN THAT LINDA ADAIR AND
KEN DOOLEY BOTH WORK FOR THE
ROME YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER,
ALSO KNOWN AS THE YDC.
WELL, THE YDC IS A HOLDING
FACILITY FOR JUVENILES UNDER THE
AGE OF 17.
ADULTS GO TO JAIL.
YDC IS WHERE A JUVENILE IS
DETAINED.
SHORTLY AFTER THE
ATTACK ON LINDA ADAIR'S HOME,
POLICE RECEIVE AN ANONYMOUS
CALL.
FLOYD COUNTY 911.
YES, I'M CALLING ABOUT THE
SHOOTING AT KEN DOOLEY'S HOUSE
LAST NIGHT AND THE FIRE-BOMBING
OF LINDA ADAIR'S HOUSE TONIGHT.
FOR THE SEX ABUSE I WENT THROUGH
IN THE YDC, THEY ARE BOTH GOING
TO DIE!
KEN DOOLEY AND
LINDA ADAIR ARE BROUGHT DOWN TO
THE POLICE STATION THE NEXT
MORNING TO LISTEN TO A RECORDING
OF THE CALL.
FOR THE SEX ABUSE I WENT
THROUGH IN THE YDC, THEY ARE
BOTH GOING TO DIE!
POLICE QUESTION
THEM ABOUT THE CALLER'S
ACCUSATIONS.
THESE ABUSE CLAIMS WERE VERY
THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED.
IT WAS A SERIOUS ACCUSATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF GIRLS IN YDC,
AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY
OCCASIONS FOR ABUSE.
THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO
AUTHENTICATE ANY ACCUSATIONS.
WITH NOTHING
FURTHER TO GO ON, THE CASE GOES
COLD.
ON THE EVENING OF
SEPTEMBER 25, 1982, ROME POLICE
RECEIVE A CALL REGARDING A
MISSING GIRL.
13-YEAR-OLD LISA ANN MILLICAN
WAS AT THE MALL WITH SEVERAL
GIRLS AND HER HOUSE PARENT FROM
A HOME FOR NEGLECTED CHILDREN
WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED.
THE SORT OF LIFE THAT
LISA ANN MILLICAN HAD WOULD BE A
SAD LIFE, BY ANY MEASURE.
SHE WAS ONLY 13 YEARS OLD, AND
THE PROBLEMS IN HER HOME WERE
SUCH THAT SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN
REMOVED FROM IT FOUR TIMES.
AFTER A SEARCH OF
THE MALL COMES UP EMPTY, POLICE
INTERVIEW LISA'S PARENTS, AS
WELL AS SEVERAL OF THE HOME'S
RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.
NONE OF THEM KNOW LISA'S
WHEREABOUTS.
BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS OF
LISA'S LIFE AND BECAUSE SHE HAD
BEEN PLACED IN A GIRLS HOME,
THE POLICE HAD THOUGHT THAT SHE
HAD CERTAINLY RUN AWAY.
NOT UNIQUE OR UNUSUAL.
THAT HAPPENS QUITE FREQUENTLY...
KID WILL RUN AWAY SOMEWHERE.
SHE MOST LIKELY WAS GOING HOME.
THREE DAYS AFTER
LISA MILLICAN GOES MISSING,
ANOTHER ANONYMOUS CALL COMES
INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
STILL LOOKING FOR
LISA ANN MILLICAN?
I CAN TELL YOU WHERE SHE IS.
GO UP TO LITTLE RIVER CANYON IN
ALABAMA.
JUST AS YOU CROSS THE
LITTLE RIVER CANYON BRIDGE, GO
UP INTO THE NATIONAL PARK.
AND LOOK OFF THE SIDE OF THE
CANYON, WHERE THERE'S A POWER
LINE GOING ACROSS IT AND LOOK
STRAIGHT DOWN THE CANYON, AND
YOU'LL FIND HER WHERE I LEFT
HER.
IT WAS A STRANGE CALL.
IT REALLY WAS, AND, I MEAN, YOU
DON'T GET PEOPLE CALLING IN VERY
OFTEN SAYING, "YOU GO TO A
CERTAIN PLACE, YOU'LL SOMEBODY
WHERE I PUT THEM, AND I LEFT
THEM THERE."
MNH-MNH. THAT'S RARE.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
THE ROME POLICE
IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY AUTHORITIES
IN ALABAMA.
UNIFORMED DEPUTIES WERE
DISPATCHED TO THAT LOCATION, AND
I THINK THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY
AN ALABAMA STATE TROOPER.
INITIALLY, WHEN THEY LOOKED OVER
INTO THE CANYON, THEY DIDN'T SEE
ANYTHING.
THEY REPORTED BACK THAT THEY
DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONTACT AND LEFT
THE SCENE.
POLICE ASSUME THE
CALL WAS A PRANK.
A DAY LATER, THE DEKALB COUNTY,
ALABAMA, POLICE RECEIVE A CALL
FROM THE SAME FEMALE CALLER.
GO TO THE CANYON WHERE THE
POWER LINES CROSS, AND YOU WILL
FIND A BODY WITH A BULLET IN IT.
DEKALB OFFICERS GO
BACK TO LITTLE RIVER CANYON.
AGAIN, THEY FIND NOTHING AND
DEPART THE SCENE.
I HAD LEFT MY CAR A LITTLE
FURTHER THAN THE REST OF THEM,
SO WHEN THEY DEPARTED, OF
COURSE, I HAD TO WALK FIVE, SIX
MINUTES TO GET BACK TO MY CAR.
AND JUST ON THE RIM OF THE
CANYON, THERE WAS A TREE.
AND I REACHED OUT AND GOT THE
TREE WITH MY RIGHT HAND, HELD A
FLASHLIGHT IN THE LEFT, AND HELD
MY HAND OUT OVER THE RIM OF THE
CANYON WHEN I DID IT.
PART OF THE LIGHT WAS RIGHT IN
THE BACK OF THE YOUNG GIRL.
IF YOU WALK UP TO THE EDGE,
YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN, BUT THE
EDGE EXTENDS OUT JUST A LITTLE
BIT, SO WHEN THE BODY WAS THROWN
OFF OR PUSHED OFF THE CANYON, IT
ULTIMATELY ENDED UP SORT OF BACK
UP UNDER THE LEDGE.
YOU HAD TO ACTUALLY LEAN OUT AND
LOOK OVER TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
ON
SEPTEMBER 29, 1982,
LISA MILLICAN'S BODY IS FOUND
35 MILES FROM THE MALL WHERE SHE
DISAPPEARED.
WE HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE OF
KILLERS WHO ENJOY HAVING THEIR
VICTIMS FOUND SO THAT THEY CAN
SEE IT REPORTED IN THE
NEWSPAPERS BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM
TO GLORY IN IT.
WHAT GOOD IS IT TO HAVE A VICTIM
THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT?
AS FAR AS THAT PARTICULAR
MOMENT, I THINK EVERYBODY WAS
SHOCKED.
WE'RE, OF COURSE, IN A SMALL
TOWN IN RURAL NORTH ALABAMA, AND
YOU DON'T SEE THOSE CRIMES
AROUND HERE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALWAYS
HEAR ABOUT SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND
IT WAS JUST A TRAGEDY.
PUNCTURE WOUNDS ARE
VISIBLE ON HER NECK, ALONG WITH
A BULLET HOLE IN HER BACK.
ABOUT 50 FEET FROM WHERE THE
BODY WAS, WE FOUND A HAND TOWEL,
A WHITE HAND TOWEL, AND INSIDE
THAT WAS TWO OR THREE HYPODERMIC
SYRINGES.
AND THERE WAS A PAIR OF BLUE
JEANS IN THAT SAME GENERAL AREA.
POLICE COLLECT THE
EVIDENCE.
AN AUTOPSY IS PERFORMED ON
LISA MILLICAN'S BODY.
AND THE SYRINGES AND THE PAIR OF
JEANS ARE SENT TO THE FORENSICS
LAB FOR ANALYSIS.
WHILE WAITING FOR THE RESULTS,
INVESTIGATORS FROM ALABAMA AND
GEORGIA JOIN FORCES TO FIND
LISA ANN MILLICAN'S KILLER.
AUTHORITIES FOCUS ON THEIR MOST
PROMISING PIECE OF EVIDENCE...
THE TAPES OF THE FEMALE CALLER
WHO CALLED BOTH JURISDICTIONS.
WE HAD FOUND A REPORT THAT
HAD BEEN FILED BACK IN
SEPTEMBER.
IT WAS A FEMALE CALLER REPORTING
A FIRE-BOMBING AND A SHOOTING
INTO A RESIDENCE OF SOME
EMPLOYEES OF THE YDC THERE IN
ROME, MUCH THE SAME AS WHAT HAD
CALLED IN OUR CASE.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO RETRIEVE
THOSE TAPES, SIT DOWN, AND
PHYSICALLY LISTEN TO BOTH OF
THEM.
IT IS THE SAME
PERSON WHO CALLED REGARDING
LISA MILLICAN.
YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF THINK,
"WELL, HOW DOES THIS HOOK
TOGETHER?"
OF COURSE, IT SEEMS THAT THE
COMMON DENOMINATOR IS THE
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A YOUNG GIRL.
LISA ANN MILLICAN'S A YOUNG
GIRL.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE
CONCENTRATE ON... MAYBE THE
GIRLS THAT WOULD'VE GONE THROUGH
THERE IN THE LAST, I GUESS,
IMMEDIATE PAST.
AND THEN YOU START PULLING
ALL THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER.
THEN YOU'RE GONNA GO TO YOUR
JUVENILE RECORDS, AND YOU'RE
GONNA PULL INFORMATION AND LOOK
AT INFORMATION TO SEE IF
ANYTHING MIGHT FIT IN AS A PART
OF THIS PUZZLE.
AND SO I'M LOOKING AT YOUTHS
THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN ANGRY, YOUTHS
THAT MIGHT HAVE A REASON TO WANT
TO GET BACK AT THE SYSTEM...
ANYBODY THAT'S GOT THAT KIND OF
GRUDGE.
I START LOOKING THROUGH MY
FILES, AND I START LOOKING AT
ALL MY CARDS IN MY CASE FILES,
AND I PULL THAT INFORMATION OUT.
AND ONE OF THE NAMES THAT STANDS
OUT IS JUDITH NEELLEY.
JUDITH AND ALVIN NEELLEY.
IN THE FALL OF
1982, A RASH OF CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY HAS HIT THE TOWN OF
ROME, GEORGIA, TARGETING STAFF
MEMBERS OF THE
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND
CULMINATING IN THE MURDER OF
13-YEAR-OLD LISA ANN MILLICAN.
AUTHORITIES SUSPECT 18-YEAR-OLD
JUDITH NEELLEY AND HER
29-YEAR-OLD HUSBAND, ALVIN.
JUDITH AND ALVIN'S NAME STAND
OUT TO ME BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY
DID PREVIOUSLY BUT BECAUSE OF
THEIR MOBILITY AND BECAUSE THEY
HADN'T BEEN JUST TO ROME, BUT
THEY HAD BEEN TO OTHER CITIES,
AND THEY TRAVELED AROUND.
THEY WERE SEPARATED HERE.
HER CHILDREN WERE REMOVED FROM
HER HERE.
SHE HAD BEEN IN THE YDC HERE.
THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND
THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO MOVE
AROUND FREELY TO DO THESE
DIFFERENT THINGS.
JUDITH NEELLEY IS
BORN JUDITH ADAMS ON
JUNE 7, 1964 IN MURFREESBORO,
TENNESSEE.
JUDITH NEELLEY'S EARLY LIFE
WAS TYPICAL OF GIRLS OF HER AGE
IN THE SOUTHERN WORKING CLASS.
SHE WAS A GOOD STUDENT.
THERE WAS NO REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT HER LIFE WOULD NOT GO QUITE
WELL AND THAT SHE WOULD HAVE A
GOOD, SOLID, ORDINARY LIFE.
WHEN JUDITH IS
9 YEARS OLD, HER FATHER IS
KILLED IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT,
SHATTERING HER IDYLLIC LIFE.
THIS CHANGED THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FAMILY
QUITE A BIT.
FROM NOW ON, THINGS
DETERIORATED AND SPIRALED DOWN.
JUDITH'S MOTHER
ADOPTS A HIGHLY UNINHIBITED
LIFESTYLE, SPENDING HER DAYS
MEETING MEN OVER HER C.B. RADIO
AND INVITING THEM OVER FOR
SEXUAL TRYSTS.
THIS DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED BY
THE YOUNG AND IMPRESSIONABLE
JUDITH.
HER MOTHER APPEARED TO HAVE
BEEN A VERY PROMISCUOUS WOMAN.
IF JUDITH WAS A REACTIVE SORT OF
PERSONALITY OR OVERLY SENSITIVE,
SHE COULD'VE FELT NEGLECTED, SHE
COULD'VE BEEN ANGRY, AND SHE
COULD HAVE STORED THAT ANGER
AWAY UNTIL SHE COULD HERSELF
TAKE IT OUT ON SOMEBODY ELSE.
ALVIN NEELLEY'S
EARLY DAYS WERE MUCH DIFFERENT.
ALVIN NEELLEY'S EARLY LIFE
WAS RATHER CHARMED.
HE WAS LOVED BY HIS FAMILY.
HE DID NOT HAVE AN ABUSED
CHILDHOOD WHATSOEVER.
HE WAS GREATLY LIKED IN SCHOOL,
GREATLY LIKED BY BOTH HIS
TEACHERS AND HIS FELLOW
STUDENTS.
HE LIVED A VERY GOOD LIFE.
BUT HE SOON TURNED
TO A LIFE OF CRIME.
ALVIN WAS A SORT OF A PETTY
CRIMINAL, I WOULD SAY... NOTHING
REALLY SERIOUS.
I THINK HE WAS THE TYPE OF
PERSON WHO JUST SIMPLY NEVER GOT
UP IN THE MORNING AND ASKED
HIMSELF, "HOW CAN I MAKE AN
HONEST LIVING?"
I THINK HE COULD'VE LIVED HIS
LIFE IN SMALL CONS, WRITING BAD
CHECKS, SKIPPING OUT ON RENT,
ROBBING CONVENIENCE STORES...
THOSE KINDS OF CRIMES.
IT IS DURING ONE OF
JUDITH'S MOTHER'S RENDEZVOUS
THAT THE 15-YEAR-OLD MEETS
ALVIN... 11 YEARS HER SENIOR.
HE SAID THAT THE MINUTE HE
SAW HER, HE FELL ABSOLUTELY IN
LOVE... THAT SPARKS ABSOLUTELY
FLEW.
THE SAME SEEMS TO BE TRUE FOR
JUDITH.
HE OFFERED HER THIS SENSE OF
AN OLDER MALE WHO HAD FIGURED
OUT A WAY TO BUCK THE SYSTEM AND
TO LIVE A LIFE THAT SHE SAW AS
EXCITING... A LIFE OF CRIME.
JUDITH SOON BECOMES
PREGNANT.
ON JULY 14, 1980, ONE DAY BEFORE
HIS 27th BIRTHDAY, ALVIN AND
16-YEAR-OLD JUDITH MARRY IN
RINGGOLD, GEORGIA.
JUDITH AND ALVIN LIVE IN A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT MOTELS,
ROBBING CONVENIENCE STORES AS
THEY MOVE FROM TOWN TO TOWN.
THEIR RELATIONSHIP BECAME AN
OUTLAW RELATIONSHIP, ONE FORGED
IN AN OUTLAW LIFE, WHICH THEY
BOTH ROMANTICIZED.
THERE WAS NOBODY TO ACT AS
THE PARENT AND SAY, "ENOUGH IS
ENOUGH."
AND AS A RESULT, THEY JUST
CONTINUED TO DO WHAT THEY WERE
DOING.
TYPICALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO REPEAT
THEIR CRIMES, ESPECIALLY IF
THOSE CRIMES ARE EXCITING TO
THEM, THEY GET ADDICTED TO A
CERTAIN PATTERN.
THEY WANT MORE.
THEY'RE GETTING AWAY WITH
THINGS, SO PRETTY SOON, THAT'S
NOT ENOUGH, AND THEY GET MORE
AND MORE AGGRESSIVE.
THE NEELLEYS FIRST
COME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE
ROME AUTHORITIES IN THE FALL OF
1980.
WE DIDN'T SEE 16-YEAR-OLD,
9-MONTH-PREGNANT TEENAGERS
COMMITTING ARMED ROBBERIES.
THE FOLLOWING DAY,
JUDITH IS ARRESTED FOR TRYING TO
PASS A STOLEN CHECK.
SHE IS PUT IN THE CUSTODY OF THE
YDC.
YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO SEE A
MAN COMMITTING THE OFFENSE AND
MAYBE A FEMALE IN A SECONDARY
ROLE.
BUT IN THIS CASE, JUDITH NEELLEY
WAS THE PRIMARY AGGRESSOR AND
VERY MUCH NINE MONTHS PREGNANT.
IN FACT, SHE GAVE BIRTH TWO DAYS
AFTER THE ROBBERY OCCURRED.
CUSTODY OF JUDITH'S
NEWBORN TWINS IS GIVEN TO
ALVIN'S MOTHER.
I REMEMBER THINKING, "WOW.
THIS YOUNG GIRL. GOLLY.
I MEAN, HOW WAS SHE RAISED, OR
WHAT'S HAPPENED TO HER IN LIFE?"
'CAUSE SHE WAS VENOMOUS.
ALVIN IS ALSO
ARRESTED FOR THE ARMED ROBBERY
FOR DRIVING JUDITH TO AND FROM
THE SCENE.
HE IS CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO
UP TO FIVE YEARS IN JAIL.
DURING THEIR SEPARATION, JUDITH
WRITES ALVIN LETTERS, TELLING
HIM SHE DETESTS THE YDC STAFF.
SHE ALSO MAKES SOME SHOCKING
ALLEGATIONS.
SHE BEGAN TO SAY THAT SHE WAS
BEING RAPED THERE, THAT SHE WAS
SUFFERING ALL MANNER OF SEXUAL
ABUSE, THAT PEOPLE WOULD NOT LET
HER WRITE TO HIM.
AND I THINK SHE USED THIS TO
MAKE HIM JEALOUS.
HE BEGAN TO MAKE PROMISES TO HER
OF REVENGE WHEN SHE WAS FINALLY
RELEASED.
THE NEELLEY COUPLE SEEMED TO
HAVE HAD THE KIND OF
RELATIONSHIP WHERE ONE OF THEM
INSTIGATED AN ACT AND THE OTHER
WENT ALONG WITH IT.
AND SO THEY HAD THIS SORT OF
PSYCHOPATHIC CHEMISTRY.
SHE WAS AN ANGRY YOUNG WOMAN,
YET SHE COULD MANIPULATE SO
WELL.
JUDITH IS RELEASED
FROM CUSTODY IN NOVEMBER OF
1981.
ALVIN FOLLOWS IN APRIL OF 1982,
AND THE TWO RESUME THEIR LIFE
TOGETHER.
THEY BEGAN TO FANCY
THEMSELVES AS A CRIMINAL COUPLE.
THEY DROVE AROUND IN TWO CARS,
COMMUNICATING BY C.B.
HE WAS "NIGHTRIDER," SHE WAS
"LADY SUNDOWN."
THEY WERE VAGABOND CRIMINALS
LOOKING FOR THAT SORT OF
"HOLE-IN-THE-WALL GANG"
ATMOSPHERE... SOME PLACE THAT
THEY COULD GO AND LIVE OUT THIS
CRIMINAL FANTASY.
THEIR FANTASY LIFE
SOON GIVES WAY TO SOME VERY REAL
DARK THOUGHTS REGARDING THE
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
SHE HAD MADE THESE TERRIBLE
ACCUSATIONS.
ALVIN HAD RESPONDED WITH VISIONS
OF REVENGE.
THEY HAD GOADED THEMSELVES UP TO
SOME KIND OF VENGEFUL ACTION
AGAINST THEIR ENEMIES IN THE
YDC.
AND WHEN YOU'VE TALKED IT AND
TALKED IT AND TALKED IT AND
TALKED IT, YOU FINALLY HAVE TO
DO SOMETHING.
AND SO THEY DID.
IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE A
PERSON DRIVING IT WHO'S ALSO
VERY ANGRY AND WANTS TO HURT
OTHER PEOPLE, AND SO IT'S NOT
SURPRISING TO FIND THAT THEY'RE
EMBOLDENED BY THE PETTY CRIMES
TO NOW COMMIT MUCH MORE EXTREME
VIOLENCE.
THE ESCALATION OF
JUDITH AND ALVIN'S DEVIANT
BEHAVIOR BREAKS HORRIFIC NEW
GROUND WITH THE ABDUCTION AND
MURDER OF LISA ANN MILLICAN.
WHY THESE ACTS TURNED INTO A
MURDER HAS TO DO WITH THE
CONTINUAL EFFORT TO PROVE TO
EACH OTHER THAT THEY ARE
OUTLAWS.
SO ONE ACT LEADS TO ANOTHER, BUT
THAT NEXT ACT MUST BE SOMEWHAT
WORSE, AND THEN THE NEXT ACT
SOMEWHAT WORSE.
ROME AND DEKALB
COUNTY AUTHORITIES SUSPECT THAT
THEIR RECENT CRIME SPREE IS JUST
THE BEGINNING.
IN THE FALL OF
1982, AUTHORITIES IN GEORGIA AND
ALABAMA ARE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
18-YEAR-OLD JUDITH NEELLEY AND
HER HUSBAND, 29-YEAR-OLD
ALVIN NEELLEY, WHO ARE SUSPECTS
IN A SERIES OF CRIMES, INCLUDING
ARSON AND MURDER.
WHAT SETS THE CASE OF ALVIN
AND JUDITH NEELLEY APART IS THAT
SHE SEEMED TO BE MORE OF THE
INSTIGATOR THAN WE TYPICALLY SEE
IN THESE TEAMS.
ON OCTOBER 1st, THE
RESULTS COME IN FROM THE
EVIDENCE FOUND NEAR
LISA ANN MILLICAN'S BODY.
THE BLOOD ON THE JEANS BELONGS
TO LISA ANN MILLICAN.
BUT THE JEANS ARE TOO LARGE TO
BELONG TO LISA, SO POLICE ASSUME
THEY ARE THE KILLER'S.
THE SUBSTANCE IN THE SYRINGE IS
FOUND TO BE MADE UP OF SODIUM,
HYDROXIDE, AND HYPOCHLORATE...
THE MAIN INGREDIENTS IN LIQUID
DRAIN CLEANER.
THE AUTOPSY ON LISA ANN MILLICAN
ONLY CONFIRMS THE AUTHORITIES'
WORST FEARS.
LISA HAD BEEN TORTURED PRIOR
TO HER MURDER BY THE INJECTION
OF LIQUID DRAIN CLEANER INTO HER
NECK, INTO HER ARMS, AND INTO
BOTH BUTTOCKS.
THE AUTOPSY ALSO
REVEALS THAT LISA ANN MILLICAN
WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
AUTHORITIES REALIZE THEY ARE
DEALING WITH AN EXTREMELY
VICIOUS PAIR OF CRIMINALS AND
ARE DETERMINED TO GET THEM OFF
THE STREET BEFORE THEY STRIKE
AGAIN.
REPORTS COME INTO THE
ROME POLICE DEPARTMENT ON
OCTOBER 3rd REGARDING A WOMAN
MATCHING JUDITH NEELLEY'S
DESCRIPTION WHO WAS ACCOSTING
AND ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP YOUNG
WOMEN AND GIRLS.
WE BEGAN TO LOOK AT THE
ATTEMPTED PICKUPS, THE ATTEMPTED
ABDUCTIONS, AND IT WAS PRETTY
OBVIOUS TO US AT THAT POINT THAT
WE HAD THE POTENTIAL OF A SERIAL
KILLER ON THE LOOSE.
ON THE NIGHT OF
OCTOBER 3rd, 26-YEAR-OLD
JOHN HANCOCK AND HIS FIANCéE,
22-YEAR-OLD JANICE KAY CHATMAN,
ARE WALKING HOME AFTER VISITING
FAMILY.
THE WAY JUDITH LURES PEOPLE
INTO HER CAR IS BY PLAYING THE
SMALL-TOWN GIRL IN A NEW TOWN.
SHE WOULD COME UP TO PEOPLE AND
SAY THAT SHE WAS NEW IN TOWN AND
THAT SHE WAS FRIENDLESS.
AND THEN SHE WOULD INVITE THOSE
PEOPLE TO GO RIDING WITH HER IN
HER CAR.
JOHN AND JANICE
BELIEVE JUDITH'S STORY AND TAKE
HER UP ON HER OFFER.
THE TRIO DRIVES THROUGH THE
GEORGIA COUNTRYSIDE.
DURING THE COURSE OF THE
DRIVE, SHE GETS INTO CONTACT
ON C.B. RADIO WITH SOMEONE WHO'S
CALLED NIGHTRIDER.
THEY BEGIN TO CHAT, AND JUDITH
SAYS THAT SHE HAS SOME NEW
FRIENDS IN THE CAR WITH HER AND
PERHAPS THAT ALL OF THEM SHOULD
MEET.
HEY, JOHN, JUST WAIT THERE
FOR A SECOND.
OKAY.
HEY, JOHN?
COME HERE.
OKAY.
AFTER THEY ALL MEET UP, THEY
SPLIT UP.
JOHN GOES WITH ALVIN.
JANICE GOES WITH JUDITH.
THE DECISION IS MADE TO TRY TO
FIND SOME MOONSHINE TO LIVEN
THINGS UP FOR THE EVENING, AND
THEY HEAD OUT INTO A MORE
DESERTED AREA TO LOOK FOR THAT.
JUDITH AND JANICE
FOLLOW IN THE CAR BEHIND.
DURING THAT RIDE, JOHN NEEDS
TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
HE ASKS ALVIN TO PULL OVER, AND
ALVIN DOES.
JUDITH SHOOTS
JOHN HANCOCK, AND THE NEELLEYS
TAKE OFF WITH
JANICE KAY CHATMAN, WHO IS
RESTRAINED IN THE CAR.
BUT JOHN ISN'T DEAD, AND
AFTER HE KNOWS THEY'RE GONE, HE
GETS UP, AND HE RUNS TO THE
NEAREST ROAD, FLAGS DOWN A
PASSING CAR... STILL QUITE
WOUNDED, OF COURSE... AND GOES
TO THE HOSPITAL.
JOHN HANCOCK IS
TREATED FOR HIS WOUND AND
RELEASED.
HE CAME TO THE ROME POLICE
DEPARTMENT THE NEXT DAY.
HE CAME THROUGH THE GENERAL
INVESTIGATIVE AREA, WHERE WE
WERE SITTING... THE SQUAD ROOM.
WE WERE PLAYING BACK THE TAPE OF
THE PHONE CALL.
AND AS HE WALKED BY, HE HEARD
THE VOICE, AND HE STOPPED AND
TURNED AROUND, AND HE SAID,
"THAT'S HER.
THAT'S THE GIRL THAT SHOT ME."
AT THAT POINT, WE ALL SAT DOWN
WITH MR. HANCOCK AND BEGAN TO
TRY TO SOLICIT AS MUCH
INFORMATION FROM HIM AS WE
COULD.
JOHN HANCOCK PICKS
JUDITH AND ALVIN NEELLEY OUT OF
A PHOTO LINEUP.
AT THAT POINT, OUR
INVESTIGATION TURNED TO THE
POINT OF "WE'VE GOT THEM
IDENTIFIED.
NOW LET'S FIND THEM."
WE STILL HAD A VICTIM,
JANICE CHATMAN, THAT HAD NOT
BEEN LOCATED.
OUR PRIMARY FOCUS AT THAT TIME
WAS TWO THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, WE WANTED TO LOCATE
JANICE CHATMAN... TRY TO GET HER
TO SAFETY.
THE OTHER THING WAS TO LOCATE
ALVIN AND JUDY NEELLEY AND GET
THEM OFF THE STREET.
IN OCTOBER OF 1982,
SHOOTING VICTIM JOHN HANCOCK
IDENTIFIES JUDITH NEELLEY AND
HER HUSBAND, ALVIN, AS THE
PEOPLE WHO SHOT HIM AND
KIDNAPPED HIS FIANCéE.
HIS FIANCéE, JANICE CHATMAN, IS
STILL MISSING.
GEORGIA AND ALABAMA AUTHORITIES,
NOW JOINED BY FEDERAL AGENTS,
AGGRESSIVELY SEARCH ACROSS
SEVERAL STATES FOR THE
NEELLEYS...
AND FOR JANICE CHATMAN, WHO THEY
HOPE TO FIND BEFORE IT'S TOO
LATE.
IT WAS URGENT.
WE GOT PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND
ROME KILLING FOLKS.
MORE THAN A WEEK
PASSES WITH NO RESULTS.
A NATIONWIDE APB IS PUT OUT FOR
JUDITH AND ALVIN NEELLEY.
AND ON OCTOBER 14th,
INVESTIGATORS FINALLY GET THE
BREAK THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.
WE CONTACTED THE AUTHORITIES
IN TENNESSEE, WHERE WE KNEW
THAT THEY WERE KNOWN TO HAVE
BEEN FROM.
AND WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO
FIND THAT ALVIN AND JUDY WERE
BOTH IN THE RUTHERFORD COUNTY
JAIL IN MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE,
ON SOME CHECK CHARGES, SOME
FORGERIES... SOMETHING TOTALLY
UNRELATED TO THIS.
I THINK THERE WAS PROBABLY FOUR
OR FIVE CARLOADS OF US THAT
DROVE UP THERE, AND THEN WE
DIVIDED INTO TWO SEARCH TEAMS
AND WENT AND SEARCHED THE
AUTOMOBILES OF ALVIN AND
JUDY NEELLEY AND ALSO THE
RESIDENCE OF JUDY'S MOTHER,
WHERE THEY WERE, IN FACT,
STAYING.
AMONG THE ITEMS
POLICE FIND... GUNS, HANDCUFFS,
C.B. RADIOS, MOTEL RECEIPTS
UNDER A NUMBER OF FAKE NAMES,
AND THE LETTERS JUDITH WROTE TO
ALVIN FROM HER DAYS AT THE YDC.
BUT THERE IS NO SIGN OF
JANICE CHATMAN.
INVESTIGATORS TURN THEIR
ATTENTION TO JUDITH AND
ALVIN NEELLEY.
JUDITH IS INTERROGATED FIRST,
HOPING SHE'LL TELL THEM WHERE TO
FIND JANICE CHATMAN.
SHE WAS VERY COLD, VERY
MATTER-OF-FACT.
SHE SHOWED ABSOLUTELY NO
BUT JUDY ADMITTED THAT THEY HAD
PICKED UP CHATMAN AND
JOHN HANCOCK.
SHE ADMITTED TO WALKING HIM OUT
INTO THE WOODS, SHOOTING HIM IN
THE BACK, LEAVING HIM FOR DEAD.
SHE WENT ON TO SAY THAT THEY
CARRIED MS. CHATMAN BACK TO A
MOTEL THERE IN ROME AND KILLED
HER.
SHE SHOT HER IN THE BACK, AND
THEN WHEN SHE FELL AND WAS
"HOLLERING"... THAT WAS THE WORD
SHE USED... JUDY WENT OVER TO
HER AND PUT TWO MORE BULLETS IN
HER HEAD AS SHE LAY ON THE
GROUND.
THE DISORGANIZATION OF THESE
MURDERS SUGGEST THE CHILDISH
MINDS WHO PLANNED THEM.
WHAT HAPPENED MAY HAVE BEEN AS
SIMPLE AS SOMEONE SAYING TO
SOMEONE ELSE... ALVIN TO JUDITH
OR JUDITH TO ALVIN... "WELL,
REAL OUTLAWS DON'T LEAVE
WITNESSES."
JUDITH DOESN'T DENY
HER INVOLVEMENT IN THE DEATH OF
LISA ANN MILLICAN, EITHER.
SHE ADMITTED THAT SHE HAD
PICKED LISA MILLICAN UP.
THEY SPENT THE NIGHT IN A
MOTEL... THAT ALVIN, IN FACT,
JOINED THEM AT THAT PARTICULAR
MOTEL.
JUDITH WATCHES AS
ALVIN RAPES LISA ANN MILLICAN.
JUDITH NEELLEY SEEMED TO HAVE
A CONDITION WHERE SOMEONE GETS
EXCITED AT WATCHING ANOTHER
PERSON BE VIOLENT.
JUDITH NEELLEY MIGHT HAVE
ENJOYED WATCHING HER HUSBAND
RAPE EITHER BECAUSE SHE JUST
LIKED TO SEE THAT KIND OF
VIOLENCE AGAINST ANOTHER WOMAN
OR BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ELEMENT
OF SELF-HATRED IN IT, WHERE SHE
COULD ENVISION HERSELF AS THE
WOMAN BEING RAPED.
JUDITH NEELLEY TRIED TO KILL
LISA SEVEN DIFFERENT TIMES.
SHE INJECTED HER SIX TIMES WITH
A SOLVENT USED TO CLEAN DRAINS.
BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK.
TIME WAS PASSING, JUDITH GREW
IMPATIENT, AND SO, FINALLY, SHE
ASKED LISA TO STAND BESIDE THE
EDGE OF THE CANYON.
AND THERE, SHE SHOT HER IN THE
BACK.
AFTER LISA WAS DEAD, TO JUDITH'S
SURPRISE, SHE WAS STILL AT THE
TOP OF THE CANYON.
AND SO JUDITH GOT DOWN ON HER
KNEES AND PUSHED THE BODY OVER
THE SIDE.
WHEN THAT HAPPENED, SHE GOT HER
JEANS BLOODY, AND SO SHE CHANGED
HER JEANS AND THREW THOSE OVER
THIS CANYON WALL.
SHE ALSO THREW THE SYRINGES THAT
SHE HAD USED TO INJECT LISA OVER
THE SIDE OF THE CANYON.
FOR HER TO TAKE THE BLAME IN
THIS CASE, IT CERTAINLY COULD BE
THAT SHE WAS SO IMMATURE AS TO
BELIEVE THAT THESE CRIMES REALLY
WEREN'T THAT DAMAGING AND THAT
IT MADE HER POWERFUL AND SHE
ENJOYED IT.
ALVIN NEELLEY
CORROBORATES BOTH ACCOUNTS AND
PROVIDES POLICE WITH THE
LOCATION OF JANICE CHATMAN'S
BODY.
THEY FIND IT EXACTLY WHERE HE
SAID IT WOULD BE.
SHE HAD BEEN SHOT THREE TIMES.
ALVIN NEELLEY GAVE ME THE
IMPRESSION OF JUST BEING A BIG
OLD LAPDOG.
I.Q.-WISE, I WOULD SAY SHE WAS
DOUBLE OR TRIPLE HIM.
I JUST FELT LIKE THAT SHE WAS
EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT, AND HE
FELT LIKE, "WELL, I'M LUCKY TO
HAVE THIS WOMAN, SO IF I DON'T
DO WHAT SHE SAYS, SHE'LL LEAVE."
BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT
SHE WAS IN CHARGE.
ALVIN ADMITS TO
RAPING BOTH LISA ANN MILLICAN
AND JANICE CHATMAN.
ALVIN CONFESSED TO ALL OF
THESE ACTIVITIES, BUT IN HIS
CONFESSION, IT WAS ALWAYS HIS
WIFE, JUDITH, WHO WAS THE
DOMINANT PARTY.
HE CLAIMED THAT JUDITH WAS IN
IT FOR THE SEX, TOO.
THERE WAS NEVER ANY EVIDENCE OF
THAT.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THE
PRIMARY MOTIVE WAS THIS
OUTRAGEOUS NOTION OF BEING
OUTLAWS... THAT IT WAS
EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT TO REALLY
BE BAD PEOPLE.
THE QUESTION THAT WE ALWAYS
ASK WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT TEAM
KILLERS IS, "WOULD THEY
SEPARATELY HAVE HAD THE
PROPENSITY TO BE MURDERERS?"
I THINK, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE
KNOW ABOUT ALVIN UP TO THE POINT
WHEN THEY MET, HE SHOWED NO
INDICATION THAT HE REALLY WAS A
KILLER.
AND YET WITH JUDITH, WE
CERTAINLY SEE THAT SHE'S GOT
THAT KIND OF ANGER.
SHE FOLLOWS THROUGH ON REVENGE.
SHE HAS AGENDAS AGAINST PEOPLE.
HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A
KILLER, BUT SHE PROBABLY
WOULD'VE BEEN.
ON OCTOBER 16th,
JUST OVER A MONTH AFTER THEIR
LATEST CRIME SPREE BEGAN, JUDITH
AND ALVIN NEELLEY ARE
EXTRADITED TO ALABAMA TO FACE
CHARGES IN THE DEATH OF
LISA ANN MILLICAN.
BUT AUTHORITIES ARE ABOUT TO
DISCOVER THAT HAVING THE
NEELLEYS IN CUSTODY DOESN'T
GUARANTEE AN END TO THEIR OUTLAW
WAYS.
THE MONTHLONG
ARSON, KIDNAP, RAPE, AND MURDER
SPREE OF 18-YEAR-OLD JUDITH AND
29-YEAR-OLD ALVIN NEELLEY COMES
TO AN END WITH THE COUPLE'S
ARREST IN OCTOBER OF 1982.
JUDITH CONFESSES TO THE MURDER
OF 13-YEAR-OLD
LISA ANN MILLICAN, TAKING FULL
BLAME FOR THE ACT AND
EXONERATING HER HUSBAND.
WE NEVER HAD ANY EVIDENCE OR
PROOF THAT HE COMMITTED A CRIME
IN OUR JURISDICTION.
I THINK IT WAS A POWER THING
FOR JUDY.
SHE WANTED TO BE IN CHARGE.
SHE WANTED TO LET SOMEBODY KNOW
THAT SHE HAD DONE IT, AND IT WAS
HER WAY OF SAYING, "HERE I AM."
BUT FACED WITH A
THREE-COUNT INDICTMENT OF
ABDUCTION WITH INTENT TO HARM,
ABDUCTION WITH INTENT TO
TERRORIZE AND SEXUALLY VIOLATE,
AND MURDER, JUDITH APPLIES FOR
YOUTHFUL-OFFENDER STATUS IN
HOPES OF AVOIDING A POSSIBLE
DEATH SENTENCE.
HAD SHE BEEN GRANTED THAT
STATUS, THE MAXIMUM PUNISHMENT
WOULD'VE BEEN THREE YEARS ONLY.
TAKING JUDITH'S
PAST CRIMINAL HISTORY INTO
ACCOUNT, AS WELL AS THE SHOCKING
DETAILS OF LISA ANN MILLICAN'S
DEATH, ON DECEMBER 17, 1982, THE
COURT DENIES THE MOTION.
HER TRIAL IS SET FOR
MARCH 7, 1983.
WHEN THE DATE ARRIVES, A
DECIDEDLY DIFFERENT
JUDITH NEELLEY SHOWS UP FOR
COURT.
SHE HAD NICE CLOTHES ON, AND
SHE HAD MAKEUP, AND HER HAIR WAS
DONE NICELY.
AND I'M SURE HER ATTORNEYS
THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT SHE SHOULD
DO, AND IF I HAD BEEN THEM, I
WOULD'VE DONE THE SAME THING.
WHEN JUDITH TAKES
THE STAND, THE PROSECUTION
DISCOVERS THAT HER LOOK ISN'T
THE ONLY THING TO CHANGE.
WHEN SHE WAS FIRST ARRESTED,
SHE WAS VERY SURE OF HERSELF.
WHEN IT GOT TO TRIAL, SHE BECAME
VERY DEMURE.
SHE SEEMED TO HAVE A VERY
INTROVERTED PERSONALITY AND
TRIED TO SHOW ALL THE SIGNS OF
SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE BRAINWASHED
OR COERCED.
JUDY HAD CLAIMED THAT ALVIN
HAD MADE HER DO THESE THINGS,
THAT SHE HAD HAD NO PART IN THEM
OTHER THAN TO ACT AS HIS ZOMBIE.
TYPICALLY IN THESE
SITUATIONS, WHAT HAPPENS IS THE
MOST PSYCHOPATHIC PERSON TURNS
ON THE OTHER FAST SO THAT THEY
CAN THROW THE BLAME ON THAT
PERSON.
ALVIN NEELLEY WAS PORTRAYED
BY THE DEFENSE AS BEING THIS
BIG, BRUTAL GUY WHO TERRORIZED
AND BRUTALIZED HIS WIFE.
ANYBODY WHO MET ALVIN NEELLEY,
WHICH INCLUDED MYSELF, THE
INVESTIGATORS, ANYBODY WHO
EVER HAD CONTACT WITH HIM, WAS
IMMEDIATELY IMPRESSED BY HOW
INACCURATE THAT DESCRIPTION WAS.
ONCE, WHEN SHE WAS TESTIFYING,
SHE BENT HER HEAD OVER AND
APPEARED TO BE CRYING.
WE'D NEVER SEEN HER CRY BEFORE.
I STOPPED THE COURT, AND I ASKED
THE COURT TO INSTRUCT HER TO
LIFT HER FACE, TO LIFT HER HEAD.
THE COURT MADE HER LIFT HER
HEAD.
THERE WAS TOTAL DRY EYES... NO
CRYING, NO TEARS, NO NOTHING.
ONLY THROUGH THINGS LIKE THAT
COULD WE SHOW THE REAL
JUDITH NEELLEY.
AT 4:30 P.M. ON
MARCH 21st, AFTER 13 DAYS OF
TESTIMONY, JUDITH'S CASE GOES TO
THE JURY.
BY 10:45 A.M. THE NEXT MORNING,
THE JURY RETURNS WITH A
VERDICT... GUILTY ON ALL THREE
COUNTS.
THEY RECOMMEND A SENTENCE OF
LIFE IN PRISON.
UNDER ALABAMA LAW IN A
DEATH-PENALTY CASE, THE JURY
RETURNS A VERDICT AND RECOMMENDS
A PUNISHMENT.
THE JUDGE MUST MAKE THE FINAL
DECISION.
THE JUDGE REJECTS
THE JURY'S RECOMMENDATION AND
SENTENCES JUDITH NEELLEY TO
DEATH.
IT WAS THE JUDGE'S
DETERMINATION THAT IF YOU
COULDN'T EXECUTE JUDITH NEELLEY
IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA FOR THE
CRIME OF WHICH SHE HAD BEEN
FOUND GUILTY, YOU COULDN'T
EXECUTE ANYBODY.
THE ONLY TIME I EVER SAW
TRUE TEARS FROM HER WAS WHEN THE
COURT HANDED DOWN THE DEATH
SENTENCE.
THEN SHE CRIED.
AT THE AGE OF 18,
JUDITH BECOMES THE YOUNGEST
WOMAN EVER SENTENCED TO DEATH.
I CERTAINLY WALKED AWAY FROM
THE TRIAL OF THAT CASE WITH A
FEELING THAT JUSTICE HAD BEEN
SERVED.
JUDITH IS THEN SENT
TO GEORGIA, WHERE, ALONG WITH
ALVIN, SHE FACES CHARGES IN THE
ABDUCTION AND MURDER OF
JANICE CHATMAN AND THE
KIDNAPPING AND ATTEMPTED MURDER
OF JOHN HANCOCK.
NOT WANTING TO RISK ANOTHER
DEATH SENTENCE, JUDITH AGREES TO
TESTIFY AGAINST ALVIN IN
EXCHANGE FOR THE STATE DROPPING
THE MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER
CHARGES AGAINST HER AND ALLOWING
HER TO PLEAD GUILTY TO
KIDNAPPING.
ALVIN WAS CONFRONTING VERY
SERIOUS OFFENSES, AND IF HE
CONFESSED, THEN HE WOULD NOT BE
ELECTROCUTED.
ALVIN PLEADS GUILTY
TO THE KIDNAPPING AND MURDER OF
JANICE CHATMAN AND IS SENTENCED
TO TWO LIFE TERMS.
HE SIMPLY CHOSE TO LIVE IN
PRISON UNTIL THE END OF HIS
DAYS THAN TO FACE THE ELECTRIC
CHAIR.
JUDITH IS GIVEN A
LIFE SENTENCE BEFORE BEING
RETURNED TO ALABAMA'S DEATH ROW.
YEARS LATER, THE GOVERNOR OF
ALABAMA COMMUTED HER SENTENCE TO
LIFE... NOT FROM DEATH TO LIFE
WITHOUT PAROLE BUT FROM DEATH TO
LIFE.
SO THE ISSUE OF PAROLE WILL BE
SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE TO BE
FACED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IN
THE FUTURE.
ON
OCTOBER 24, 2005, WHILE SERVING
OUT HIS SENTENCE, ALVIN NEELLEY
DIES FROM COMPLICATIONS WHILE
UNDERGOING SURGERY.
JUDITH NEELLEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE
FOR PAROLE IN 2013 AT THE AGE
OF 49.
SHE'S BEEN IN JAIL A LONG
TIME.
AND SHE NEEDS TO STAY IN JAIL A
LONG TIME.
SHE CLAIMS TO BE ACTIVE IN
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY NOW AND THAT
SHE'S CHANGED.
BUT THAT'S THE SAME SONG THAT
MOST PEOPLE THAT GO TO JAIL
SING.
IN MY OPINION, JUDY NEELLEY IS
PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS WOMEN IN 1982, AND I
THINK SHE PROBABLY STILL IS
TODAY.
YOU CAN ONLY GO ON WHAT
HAPPENED BEFORE.
AND WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE MAKES
NO RHYME OR REASON WITHIN THE
BOUNDS OF HUMAN DECENCY.
AND YOU HAVE TO EXPECT THAT THAT
WOULD CONTINUE.
IF SOMEBODY WERE TO SAY, "DO
YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF A WOMAN
WHO REALLY WAS A KILLER, A
COLD-BLOODED KILLER?" SHE
SPRINGS TO MIND PRETTY FAST.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE MAY
HAVE A LOWER VICTIM COUNT, THE
AGGRESSION, THE ANGER, THE
MANIPULATIVENESS, AND THE
CLEVERNESS OF WHAT SHE WAS DOING
DOES STAND OUT.
BUT I ALSO THINK BECAUSE ALVIN
WAS MUCH OLDER THAN HER AND MUCH
MORE EXPERIENCED... HAD BEEN TO
PRISON AND HAD DONE A LOT OF THE
PETTY THEFTS... THAT HE WAS
PROBABLY THE DOMINANT PARTNER,
IN TERMS OF HOW THEY GOT MONEY,
THE FACT THAT THEY RAN AROUND AS
MUCH AS THEY DID.
AND SO EACH HAD A PART IN HOW
THEY OPERATED.
THERE ARE CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS THAT SIMPLY
COMBUST INTO SOME KIND OF FIERY
ELEMENT, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED IN THE CASE OF MR. AND
MRS. NEELLEY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IF THEY WERE
TO HAVE MET IN A CORRIDOR OR IN
A JAIL SOMEWHERE LONG AFTER THIS
TRIAL, THEY WOULD'VE SHARED A
WINK AND A SMILE.
---
ON THE NIGHT OF
SEPTEMBER 10, 1982, POLICE IN
ROME, GEORGIA, RECEIVE A FRANTIC
CALL FROM KEN DOOLEY.
A UNIT IS DISPATCHED TO HIS
HOME.
THE SHOOTING AT KEN DOOLEY'S
HOUSE BEGAN WITH A PHONE CALL.
HELLO?
YOU'RE GONNA PAY.
A FEW MINUTES LATER, FOUR
SHOTS SLAMMED INTO KEN'S HOUSE.
POLICE COLLECT
SEVERAL BULLETS AND CANVASS THE
AREA.
BUT THERE ARE NO WITNESSES TO
THE CRIME.
IF IT'S A ONE-TIME INCIDENT,
UNLESS YOU KNOW WHO COMMITTED
THE CRIME, UNLESS YOU HAVE GOT
SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE
VEHICLE LEAVING THE SCENE, IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT TO LATER ON
IDENTIFY WHO COMMITTED THAT
CRIME.
THE FOLLOWING
NIGHT...
AT MIDNIGHT, POLICE ARE CALLED
TO THE RESIDENCE OF LINDA ADAIR.
THERE WAS A PHONE CALL.
SOMEONE ASKED FOR LINDA.
AND THEN, NOT LONG AFTER THAT,
THERE WAS A FIRE-BOMBING AT THE
HOUSE.
NOTHING LIKE THIS HAD HAPPENED
IN HER LIFE.
AND WHILE THE POLICE WERE THERE,
THEY BEGAN TO QUESTION PEOPLE,
LOOK AROUND.
AND AT THAT POINT, SOMEONE, A
NEIGHBOR, CAME AND SAID THAT
THEY HAD SEEN A CAR GO BY
SLOWLY.
THERE WAS A MAN DRIVING THE CAR,
AND THERE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WITH
BROWN HAIR.
POLICE LOOK FOR
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE VICTIMS
AND LEARN THAT LINDA ADAIR AND
KEN DOOLEY BOTH WORK FOR THE
ROME YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER,
ALSO KNOWN AS THE YDC.
WELL, THE YDC IS A HOLDING
FACILITY FOR JUVENILES UNDER THE
AGE OF 17.
ADULTS GO TO JAIL.
YDC IS WHERE A JUVENILE IS
DETAINED.
SHORTLY AFTER THE
ATTACK ON LINDA ADAIR'S HOME,
POLICE RECEIVE AN ANONYMOUS
CALL.
FLOYD COUNTY 911.
YES, I'M CALLING ABOUT THE
SHOOTING AT KEN DOOLEY'S HOUSE
LAST NIGHT AND THE FIRE-BOMBING
OF LINDA ADAIR'S HOUSE TONIGHT.
FOR THE SEX ABUSE I WENT THROUGH
IN THE YDC, THEY ARE BOTH GOING
TO DIE!
KEN DOOLEY AND
LINDA ADAIR ARE BROUGHT DOWN TO
THE POLICE STATION THE NEXT
MORNING TO LISTEN TO A RECORDING
OF THE CALL.
FOR THE SEX ABUSE I WENT
THROUGH IN THE YDC, THEY ARE
BOTH GOING TO DIE!
POLICE QUESTION
THEM ABOUT THE CALLER'S
ACCUSATIONS.
THESE ABUSE CLAIMS WERE VERY
THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED.
IT WAS A SERIOUS ACCUSATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF GIRLS IN YDC,
AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY
OCCASIONS FOR ABUSE.
THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO
AUTHENTICATE ANY ACCUSATIONS.
WITH NOTHING
FURTHER TO GO ON, THE CASE GOES
COLD.
ON THE EVENING OF
SEPTEMBER 25, 1982, ROME POLICE
RECEIVE A CALL REGARDING A
MISSING GIRL.
13-YEAR-OLD LISA ANN MILLICAN
WAS AT THE MALL WITH SEVERAL
GIRLS AND HER HOUSE PARENT FROM
A HOME FOR NEGLECTED CHILDREN
WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED.
THE SORT OF LIFE THAT
LISA ANN MILLICAN HAD WOULD BE A
SAD LIFE, BY ANY MEASURE.
SHE WAS ONLY 13 YEARS OLD, AND
THE PROBLEMS IN HER HOME WERE
SUCH THAT SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN
REMOVED FROM IT FOUR TIMES.
AFTER A SEARCH OF
THE MALL COMES UP EMPTY, POLICE
INTERVIEW LISA'S PARENTS, AS
WELL AS SEVERAL OF THE HOME'S
RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.
NONE OF THEM KNOW LISA'S
WHEREABOUTS.
BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS OF
LISA'S LIFE AND BECAUSE SHE HAD
BEEN PLACED IN A GIRLS HOME,
THE POLICE HAD THOUGHT THAT SHE
HAD CERTAINLY RUN AWAY.
NOT UNIQUE OR UNUSUAL.
THAT HAPPENS QUITE FREQUENTLY...
KID WILL RUN AWAY SOMEWHERE.
SHE MOST LIKELY WAS GOING HOME.
THREE DAYS AFTER
LISA MILLICAN GOES MISSING,
ANOTHER ANONYMOUS CALL COMES
INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
STILL LOOKING FOR
LISA ANN MILLICAN?
I CAN TELL YOU WHERE SHE IS.
GO UP TO LITTLE RIVER CANYON IN
ALABAMA.
JUST AS YOU CROSS THE
LITTLE RIVER CANYON BRIDGE, GO
UP INTO THE NATIONAL PARK.
AND LOOK OFF THE SIDE OF THE
CANYON, WHERE THERE'S A POWER
LINE GOING ACROSS IT AND LOOK
STRAIGHT DOWN THE CANYON, AND
YOU'LL FIND HER WHERE I LEFT
HER.
IT WAS A STRANGE CALL.
IT REALLY WAS, AND, I MEAN, YOU
DON'T GET PEOPLE CALLING IN VERY
OFTEN SAYING, "YOU GO TO A
CERTAIN PLACE, YOU'LL SOMEBODY
WHERE I PUT THEM, AND I LEFT
THEM THERE."
MNH-MNH. THAT'S RARE.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
THE ROME POLICE
IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY AUTHORITIES
IN ALABAMA.
UNIFORMED DEPUTIES WERE
DISPATCHED TO THAT LOCATION, AND
I THINK THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY
AN ALABAMA STATE TROOPER.
INITIALLY, WHEN THEY LOOKED OVER
INTO THE CANYON, THEY DIDN'T SEE
ANYTHING.
THEY REPORTED BACK THAT THEY
DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONTACT AND LEFT
THE SCENE.
POLICE ASSUME THE
CALL WAS A PRANK.
A DAY LATER, THE DEKALB COUNTY,
ALABAMA, POLICE RECEIVE A CALL
FROM THE SAME FEMALE CALLER.
GO TO THE CANYON WHERE THE
POWER LINES CROSS, AND YOU WILL
FIND A BODY WITH A BULLET IN IT.
DEKALB OFFICERS GO
BACK TO LITTLE RIVER CANYON.
AGAIN, THEY FIND NOTHING AND
DEPART THE SCENE.
I HAD LEFT MY CAR A LITTLE
FURTHER THAN THE REST OF THEM,
SO WHEN THEY DEPARTED, OF
COURSE, I HAD TO WALK FIVE, SIX
MINUTES TO GET BACK TO MY CAR.
AND JUST ON THE RIM OF THE
CANYON, THERE WAS A TREE.
AND I REACHED OUT AND GOT THE
TREE WITH MY RIGHT HAND, HELD A
FLASHLIGHT IN THE LEFT, AND HELD
MY HAND OUT OVER THE RIM OF THE
CANYON WHEN I DID IT.
PART OF THE LIGHT WAS RIGHT IN
THE BACK OF THE YOUNG GIRL.
IF YOU WALK UP TO THE EDGE,
YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN, BUT THE
EDGE EXTENDS OUT JUST A LITTLE
BIT, SO WHEN THE BODY WAS THROWN
OFF OR PUSHED OFF THE CANYON, IT
ULTIMATELY ENDED UP SORT OF BACK
UP UNDER THE LEDGE.
YOU HAD TO ACTUALLY LEAN OUT AND
LOOK OVER TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
ON
SEPTEMBER 29, 1982,
LISA MILLICAN'S BODY IS FOUND
35 MILES FROM THE MALL WHERE SHE
DISAPPEARED.
WE HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE OF
KILLERS WHO ENJOY HAVING THEIR
VICTIMS FOUND SO THAT THEY CAN
SEE IT REPORTED IN THE
NEWSPAPERS BECAUSE IT HELPS THEM
TO GLORY IN IT.
WHAT GOOD IS IT TO HAVE A VICTIM
THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT?
AS FAR AS THAT PARTICULAR
MOMENT, I THINK EVERYBODY WAS
SHOCKED.
WE'RE, OF COURSE, IN A SMALL
TOWN IN RURAL NORTH ALABAMA, AND
YOU DON'T SEE THOSE CRIMES
AROUND HERE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALWAYS
HEAR ABOUT SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND
IT WAS JUST A TRAGEDY.
PUNCTURE WOUNDS ARE
VISIBLE ON HER NECK, ALONG WITH
A BULLET HOLE IN HER BACK.
ABOUT 50 FEET FROM WHERE THE
BODY WAS, WE FOUND A HAND TOWEL,
A WHITE HAND TOWEL, AND INSIDE
THAT WAS TWO OR THREE HYPODERMIC
SYRINGES.
AND THERE WAS A PAIR OF BLUE
JEANS IN THAT SAME GENERAL AREA.
POLICE COLLECT THE
EVIDENCE.
AN AUTOPSY IS PERFORMED ON
LISA MILLICAN'S BODY.
AND THE SYRINGES AND THE PAIR OF
JEANS ARE SENT TO THE FORENSICS
LAB FOR ANALYSIS.
WHILE WAITING FOR THE RESULTS,
INVESTIGATORS FROM ALABAMA AND
GEORGIA JOIN FORCES TO FIND
LISA ANN MILLICAN'S KILLER.
AUTHORITIES FOCUS ON THEIR MOST
PROMISING PIECE OF EVIDENCE...
THE TAPES OF THE FEMALE CALLER
WHO CALLED BOTH JURISDICTIONS.
WE HAD FOUND A REPORT THAT
HAD BEEN FILED BACK IN
SEPTEMBER.
IT WAS A FEMALE CALLER REPORTING
A FIRE-BOMBING AND A SHOOTING
INTO A RESIDENCE OF SOME
EMPLOYEES OF THE YDC THERE IN
ROME, MUCH THE SAME AS WHAT HAD
CALLED IN OUR CASE.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO RETRIEVE
THOSE TAPES, SIT DOWN, AND
PHYSICALLY LISTEN TO BOTH OF
THEM.
IT IS THE SAME
PERSON WHO CALLED REGARDING
LISA MILLICAN.
YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF THINK,
"WELL, HOW DOES THIS HOOK
TOGETHER?"
OF COURSE, IT SEEMS THAT THE
COMMON DENOMINATOR IS THE
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A YOUNG GIRL.
LISA ANN MILLICAN'S A YOUNG
GIRL.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE
CONCENTRATE ON... MAYBE THE
GIRLS THAT WOULD'VE GONE THROUGH
THERE IN THE LAST, I GUESS,
IMMEDIATE PAST.
AND THEN YOU START PULLING
ALL THE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER.
THEN YOU'RE GONNA GO TO YOUR
JUVENILE RECORDS, AND YOU'RE
GONNA PULL INFORMATION AND LOOK
AT INFORMATION TO SEE IF
ANYTHING MIGHT FIT IN AS A PART
OF THIS PUZZLE.
AND SO I'M LOOKING AT YOUTHS
THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN ANGRY, YOUTHS
THAT MIGHT HAVE A REASON TO WANT
TO GET BACK AT THE SYSTEM...
ANYBODY THAT'S GOT THAT KIND OF
GRUDGE.
I START LOOKING THROUGH MY
FILES, AND I START LOOKING AT
ALL MY CARDS IN MY CASE FILES,
AND I PULL THAT INFORMATION OUT.
AND ONE OF THE NAMES THAT STANDS
OUT IS JUDITH NEELLEY.
JUDITH AND ALVIN NEELLEY.
IN THE FALL OF
1982, A RASH OF CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY HAS HIT THE TOWN OF
ROME, GEORGIA, TARGETING STAFF
MEMBERS OF THE
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND
CULMINATING IN THE MURDER OF
13-YEAR-OLD LISA ANN MILLICAN.
AUTHORITIES SUSPECT 18-YEAR-OLD
JUDITH NEELLEY AND HER
29-YEAR-OLD HUSBAND, ALVIN.
JUDITH AND ALVIN'S NAME STAND
OUT TO ME BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY
DID PREVIOUSLY BUT BECAUSE OF
THEIR MOBILITY AND BECAUSE THEY
HADN'T BEEN JUST TO ROME, BUT
THEY HAD BEEN TO OTHER CITIES,
AND THEY TRAVELED AROUND.
THEY WERE SEPARATED HERE.
HER CHILDREN WERE REMOVED FROM
HER HERE.
SHE HAD BEEN IN THE YDC HERE.
THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND
THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO MOVE
AROUND FREELY TO DO THESE
DIFFERENT THINGS.
JUDITH NEELLEY IS
BORN JUDITH ADAMS ON
JUNE 7, 1964 IN MURFREESBORO,
TENNESSEE.
JUDITH NEELLEY'S EARLY LIFE
WAS TYPICAL OF GIRLS OF HER AGE
IN THE SOUTHERN WORKING CLASS.
SHE WAS A GOOD STUDENT.
THERE WAS NO REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT HER LIFE WOULD NOT GO QUITE
WELL AND THAT SHE WOULD HAVE A
GOOD, SOLID, ORDINARY LIFE.
WHEN JUDITH IS
9 YEARS OLD, HER FATHER IS
KILLED IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT,
SHATTERING HER IDYLLIC LIFE.
THIS CHANGED THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FAMILY
QUITE A BIT.
FROM NOW ON, THINGS
DETERIORATED AND SPIRALED DOWN.
JUDITH'S MOTHER
ADOPTS A HIGHLY UNINHIBITED
LIFESTYLE, SPENDING HER DAYS
MEETING MEN OVER HER C.B. RADIO
AND INVITING THEM OVER FOR
SEXUAL TRYSTS.
THIS DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED BY
THE YOUNG AND IMPRESSIONABLE
JUDITH.
HER MOTHER APPEARED TO HAVE
BEEN A VERY PROMISCUOUS WOMAN.
IF JUDITH WAS A REACTIVE SORT OF
PERSONALITY OR OVERLY SENSITIVE,
SHE COULD'VE FELT NEGLECTED, SHE
COULD'VE BEEN ANGRY, AND SHE
COULD HAVE STORED THAT ANGER
AWAY UNTIL SHE COULD HERSELF
TAKE IT OUT ON SOMEBODY ELSE.
ALVIN NEELLEY'S
EARLY DAYS WERE MUCH DIFFERENT.
ALVIN NEELLEY'S EARLY LIFE
WAS RATHER CHARMED.
HE WAS LOVED BY HIS FAMILY.
HE DID NOT HAVE AN ABUSED
CHILDHOOD WHATSOEVER.
HE WAS GREATLY LIKED IN SCHOOL,
GREATLY LIKED BY BOTH HIS
TEACHERS AND HIS FELLOW
STUDENTS.
HE LIVED A VERY GOOD LIFE.
BUT HE SOON TURNED
TO A LIFE OF CRIME.
ALVIN WAS A SORT OF A PETTY
CRIMINAL, I WOULD SAY... NOTHING
REALLY SERIOUS.
I THINK HE WAS THE TYPE OF
PERSON WHO JUST SIMPLY NEVER GOT
UP IN THE MORNING AND ASKED
HIMSELF, "HOW CAN I MAKE AN
HONEST LIVING?"
I THINK HE COULD'VE LIVED HIS
LIFE IN SMALL CONS, WRITING BAD
CHECKS, SKIPPING OUT ON RENT,
ROBBING CONVENIENCE STORES...
THOSE KINDS OF CRIMES.
IT IS DURING ONE OF
JUDITH'S MOTHER'S RENDEZVOUS
THAT THE 15-YEAR-OLD MEETS
ALVIN... 11 YEARS HER SENIOR.
HE SAID THAT THE MINUTE HE
SAW HER, HE FELL ABSOLUTELY IN
LOVE... THAT SPARKS ABSOLUTELY
FLEW.
THE SAME SEEMS TO BE TRUE FOR
JUDITH.
HE OFFERED HER THIS SENSE OF
AN OLDER MALE WHO HAD FIGURED
OUT A WAY TO BUCK THE SYSTEM AND
TO LIVE A LIFE THAT SHE SAW AS
EXCITING... A LIFE OF CRIME.
JUDITH SOON BECOMES
PREGNANT.
ON JULY 14, 1980, ONE DAY BEFORE
HIS 27th BIRTHDAY, ALVIN AND
16-YEAR-OLD JUDITH MARRY IN
RINGGOLD, GEORGIA.
JUDITH AND ALVIN LIVE IN A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT MOTELS,
ROBBING CONVENIENCE STORES AS
THEY MOVE FROM TOWN TO TOWN.
THEIR RELATIONSHIP BECAME AN
OUTLAW RELATIONSHIP, ONE FORGED
IN AN OUTLAW LIFE, WHICH THEY
BOTH ROMANTICIZED.
THERE WAS NOBODY TO ACT AS
THE PARENT AND SAY, "ENOUGH IS
ENOUGH."
AND AS A RESULT, THEY JUST
CONTINUED TO DO WHAT THEY WERE
DOING.
TYPICALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO REPEAT
THEIR CRIMES, ESPECIALLY IF
THOSE CRIMES ARE EXCITING TO
THEM, THEY GET ADDICTED TO A
CERTAIN PATTERN.
THEY WANT MORE.
THEY'RE GETTING AWAY WITH
THINGS, SO PRETTY SOON, THAT'S
NOT ENOUGH, AND THEY GET MORE
AND MORE AGGRESSIVE.
THE NEELLEYS FIRST
COME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE
ROME AUTHORITIES IN THE FALL OF
1980.
WE DIDN'T SEE 16-YEAR-OLD,
9-MONTH-PREGNANT TEENAGERS
COMMITTING ARMED ROBBERIES.
THE FOLLOWING DAY,
JUDITH IS ARRESTED FOR TRYING TO
PASS A STOLEN CHECK.
SHE IS PUT IN THE CUSTODY OF THE
YDC.
YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO SEE A
MAN COMMITTING THE OFFENSE AND
MAYBE A FEMALE IN A SECONDARY
ROLE.
BUT IN THIS CASE, JUDITH NEELLEY
WAS THE PRIMARY AGGRESSOR AND
VERY MUCH NINE MONTHS PREGNANT.
IN FACT, SHE GAVE BIRTH TWO DAYS
AFTER THE ROBBERY OCCURRED.
CUSTODY OF JUDITH'S
NEWBORN TWINS IS GIVEN TO
ALVIN'S MOTHER.
I REMEMBER THINKING, "WOW.
THIS YOUNG GIRL. GOLLY.
I MEAN, HOW WAS SHE RAISED, OR
WHAT'S HAPPENED TO HER IN LIFE?"
'CAUSE SHE WAS VENOMOUS.
ALVIN IS ALSO
ARRESTED FOR THE ARMED ROBBERY
FOR DRIVING JUDITH TO AND FROM
THE SCENE.
HE IS CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO
UP TO FIVE YEARS IN JAIL.
DURING THEIR SEPARATION, JUDITH
WRITES ALVIN LETTERS, TELLING
HIM SHE DETESTS THE YDC STAFF.
SHE ALSO MAKES SOME SHOCKING
ALLEGATIONS.
SHE BEGAN TO SAY THAT SHE WAS
BEING RAPED THERE, THAT SHE WAS
SUFFERING ALL MANNER OF SEXUAL
ABUSE, THAT PEOPLE WOULD NOT LET
HER WRITE TO HIM.
AND I THINK SHE USED THIS TO
MAKE HIM JEALOUS.
HE BEGAN TO MAKE PROMISES TO HER
OF REVENGE WHEN SHE WAS FINALLY
RELEASED.
THE NEELLEY COUPLE SEEMED TO
HAVE HAD THE KIND OF
RELATIONSHIP WHERE ONE OF THEM
INSTIGATED AN ACT AND THE OTHER
WENT ALONG WITH IT.
AND SO THEY HAD THIS SORT OF
PSYCHOPATHIC CHEMISTRY.
SHE WAS AN ANGRY YOUNG WOMAN,
YET SHE COULD MANIPULATE SO
WELL.
JUDITH IS RELEASED
FROM CUSTODY IN NOVEMBER OF
1981.
ALVIN FOLLOWS IN APRIL OF 1982,
AND THE TWO RESUME THEIR LIFE
TOGETHER.
THEY BEGAN TO FANCY
THEMSELVES AS A CRIMINAL COUPLE.
THEY DROVE AROUND IN TWO CARS,
COMMUNICATING BY C.B.
HE WAS "NIGHTRIDER," SHE WAS
"LADY SUNDOWN."
THEY WERE VAGABOND CRIMINALS
LOOKING FOR THAT SORT OF
"HOLE-IN-THE-WALL GANG"
ATMOSPHERE... SOME PLACE THAT
THEY COULD GO AND LIVE OUT THIS
CRIMINAL FANTASY.
THEIR FANTASY LIFE
SOON GIVES WAY TO SOME VERY REAL
DARK THOUGHTS REGARDING THE
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
SHE HAD MADE THESE TERRIBLE
ACCUSATIONS.
ALVIN HAD RESPONDED WITH VISIONS
OF REVENGE.
THEY HAD GOADED THEMSELVES UP TO
SOME KIND OF VENGEFUL ACTION
AGAINST THEIR ENEMIES IN THE
YDC.
AND WHEN YOU'VE TALKED IT AND
TALKED IT AND TALKED IT AND
TALKED IT, YOU FINALLY HAVE TO
DO SOMETHING.
AND SO THEY DID.
IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE A
PERSON DRIVING IT WHO'S ALSO
VERY ANGRY AND WANTS TO HURT
OTHER PEOPLE, AND SO IT'S NOT
SURPRISING TO FIND THAT THEY'RE
EMBOLDENED BY THE PETTY CRIMES
TO NOW COMMIT MUCH MORE EXTREME
VIOLENCE.
THE ESCALATION OF
JUDITH AND ALVIN'S DEVIANT
BEHAVIOR BREAKS HORRIFIC NEW
GROUND WITH THE ABDUCTION AND
MURDER OF LISA ANN MILLICAN.
WHY THESE ACTS TURNED INTO A
MURDER HAS TO DO WITH THE
CONTINUAL EFFORT TO PROVE TO
EACH OTHER THAT THEY ARE
OUTLAWS.
SO ONE ACT LEADS TO ANOTHER, BUT
THAT NEXT ACT MUST BE SOMEWHAT
WORSE, AND THEN THE NEXT ACT
SOMEWHAT WORSE.
ROME AND DEKALB
COUNTY AUTHORITIES SUSPECT THAT
THEIR RECENT CRIME SPREE IS JUST
THE BEGINNING.
IN THE FALL OF
1982, AUTHORITIES IN GEORGIA AND
ALABAMA ARE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
18-YEAR-OLD JUDITH NEELLEY AND
HER HUSBAND, 29-YEAR-OLD
ALVIN NEELLEY, WHO ARE SUSPECTS
IN A SERIES OF CRIMES, INCLUDING
ARSON AND MURDER.
WHAT SETS THE CASE OF ALVIN
AND JUDITH NEELLEY APART IS THAT
SHE SEEMED TO BE MORE OF THE
INSTIGATOR THAN WE TYPICALLY SEE
IN THESE TEAMS.
ON OCTOBER 1st, THE
RESULTS COME IN FROM THE
EVIDENCE FOUND NEAR
LISA ANN MILLICAN'S BODY.
THE BLOOD ON THE JEANS BELONGS
TO LISA ANN MILLICAN.
BUT THE JEANS ARE TOO LARGE TO
BELONG TO LISA, SO POLICE ASSUME
THEY ARE THE KILLER'S.
THE SUBSTANCE IN THE SYRINGE IS
FOUND TO BE MADE UP OF SODIUM,
HYDROXIDE, AND HYPOCHLORATE...
THE MAIN INGREDIENTS IN LIQUID
DRAIN CLEANER.
THE AUTOPSY ON LISA ANN MILLICAN
ONLY CONFIRMS THE AUTHORITIES'
WORST FEARS.
LISA HAD BEEN TORTURED PRIOR
TO HER MURDER BY THE INJECTION
OF LIQUID DRAIN CLEANER INTO HER
NECK, INTO HER ARMS, AND INTO
BOTH BUTTOCKS.
THE AUTOPSY ALSO
REVEALS THAT LISA ANN MILLICAN
WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
AUTHORITIES REALIZE THEY ARE
DEALING WITH AN EXTREMELY
VICIOUS PAIR OF CRIMINALS AND
ARE DETERMINED TO GET THEM OFF
THE STREET BEFORE THEY STRIKE
AGAIN.
REPORTS COME INTO THE
ROME POLICE DEPARTMENT ON
OCTOBER 3rd REGARDING A WOMAN
MATCHING JUDITH NEELLEY'S
DESCRIPTION WHO WAS ACCOSTING
AND ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP YOUNG
WOMEN AND GIRLS.
WE BEGAN TO LOOK AT THE
ATTEMPTED PICKUPS, THE ATTEMPTED
ABDUCTIONS, AND IT WAS PRETTY
OBVIOUS TO US AT THAT POINT THAT
WE HAD THE POTENTIAL OF A SERIAL
KILLER ON THE LOOSE.
ON THE NIGHT OF
OCTOBER 3rd, 26-YEAR-OLD
JOHN HANCOCK AND HIS FIANCéE,
22-YEAR-OLD JANICE KAY CHATMAN,
ARE WALKING HOME AFTER VISITING
FAMILY.
THE WAY JUDITH LURES PEOPLE
INTO HER CAR IS BY PLAYING THE
SMALL-TOWN GIRL IN A NEW TOWN.
SHE WOULD COME UP TO PEOPLE AND
SAY THAT SHE WAS NEW IN TOWN AND
THAT SHE WAS FRIENDLESS.
AND THEN SHE WOULD INVITE THOSE
PEOPLE TO GO RIDING WITH HER IN
HER CAR.
JOHN AND JANICE
BELIEVE JUDITH'S STORY AND TAKE
HER UP ON HER OFFER.
THE TRIO DRIVES THROUGH THE
GEORGIA COUNTRYSIDE.
DURING THE COURSE OF THE
DRIVE, SHE GETS INTO CONTACT
ON C.B. RADIO WITH SOMEONE WHO'S
CALLED NIGHTRIDER.
THEY BEGIN TO CHAT, AND JUDITH
SAYS THAT SHE HAS SOME NEW
FRIENDS IN THE CAR WITH HER AND
PERHAPS THAT ALL OF THEM SHOULD
MEET.
HEY, JOHN, JUST WAIT THERE
FOR A SECOND.
OKAY.
HEY, JOHN?
COME HERE.
OKAY.
AFTER THEY ALL MEET UP, THEY
SPLIT UP.
JOHN GOES WITH ALVIN.
JANICE GOES WITH JUDITH.
THE DECISION IS MADE TO TRY TO
FIND SOME MOONSHINE TO LIVEN
THINGS UP FOR THE EVENING, AND
THEY HEAD OUT INTO A MORE
DESERTED AREA TO LOOK FOR THAT.
JUDITH AND JANICE
FOLLOW IN THE CAR BEHIND.
DURING THAT RIDE, JOHN NEEDS
TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
HE ASKS ALVIN TO PULL OVER, AND
ALVIN DOES.
JUDITH SHOOTS
JOHN HANCOCK, AND THE NEELLEYS
TAKE OFF WITH
JANICE KAY CHATMAN, WHO IS
RESTRAINED IN THE CAR.
BUT JOHN ISN'T DEAD, AND
AFTER HE KNOWS THEY'RE GONE, HE
GETS UP, AND HE RUNS TO THE
NEAREST ROAD, FLAGS DOWN A
PASSING CAR... STILL QUITE
WOUNDED, OF COURSE... AND GOES
TO THE HOSPITAL.
JOHN HANCOCK IS
TREATED FOR HIS WOUND AND
RELEASED.
HE CAME TO THE ROME POLICE
DEPARTMENT THE NEXT DAY.
HE CAME THROUGH THE GENERAL
INVESTIGATIVE AREA, WHERE WE
WERE SITTING... THE SQUAD ROOM.
WE WERE PLAYING BACK THE TAPE OF
THE PHONE CALL.
AND AS HE WALKED BY, HE HEARD
THE VOICE, AND HE STOPPED AND
TURNED AROUND, AND HE SAID,
"THAT'S HER.
THAT'S THE GIRL THAT SHOT ME."
AT THAT POINT, WE ALL SAT DOWN
WITH MR. HANCOCK AND BEGAN TO
TRY TO SOLICIT AS MUCH
INFORMATION FROM HIM AS WE
COULD.
JOHN HANCOCK PICKS
JUDITH AND ALVIN NEELLEY OUT OF
A PHOTO LINEUP.
AT THAT POINT, OUR
INVESTIGATION TURNED TO THE
POINT OF "WE'VE GOT THEM
IDENTIFIED.
NOW LET'S FIND THEM."
WE STILL HAD A VICTIM,
JANICE CHATMAN, THAT HAD NOT
BEEN LOCATED.
OUR PRIMARY FOCUS AT THAT TIME
WAS TWO THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, WE WANTED TO LOCATE
JANICE CHATMAN... TRY TO GET HER
TO SAFETY.
THE OTHER THING WAS TO LOCATE
ALVIN AND JUDY NEELLEY AND GET
THEM OFF THE STREET.
IN OCTOBER OF 1982,
SHOOTING VICTIM JOHN HANCOCK
IDENTIFIES JUDITH NEELLEY AND
HER HUSBAND, ALVIN, AS THE
PEOPLE WHO SHOT HIM AND
KIDNAPPED HIS FIANCéE.
HIS FIANCéE, JANICE CHATMAN, IS
STILL MISSING.
GEORGIA AND ALABAMA AUTHORITIES,
NOW JOINED BY FEDERAL AGENTS,
AGGRESSIVELY SEARCH ACROSS
SEVERAL STATES FOR THE
NEELLEYS...
AND FOR JANICE CHATMAN, WHO THEY
HOPE TO FIND BEFORE IT'S TOO
LATE.
IT WAS URGENT.
WE GOT PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND
ROME KILLING FOLKS.
MORE THAN A WEEK
PASSES WITH NO RESULTS.
A NATIONWIDE APB IS PUT OUT FOR
JUDITH AND ALVIN NEELLEY.
AND ON OCTOBER 14th,
INVESTIGATORS FINALLY GET THE
BREAK THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR.
WE CONTACTED THE AUTHORITIES
IN TENNESSEE, WHERE WE KNEW
THAT THEY WERE KNOWN TO HAVE
BEEN FROM.
AND WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO
FIND THAT ALVIN AND JUDY WERE
BOTH IN THE RUTHERFORD COUNTY
JAIL IN MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE,
ON SOME CHECK CHARGES, SOME
FORGERIES... SOMETHING TOTALLY
UNRELATED TO THIS.
I THINK THERE WAS PROBABLY FOUR
OR FIVE CARLOADS OF US THAT
DROVE UP THERE, AND THEN WE
DIVIDED INTO TWO SEARCH TEAMS
AND WENT AND SEARCHED THE
AUTOMOBILES OF ALVIN AND
JUDY NEELLEY AND ALSO THE
RESIDENCE OF JUDY'S MOTHER,
WHERE THEY WERE, IN FACT,
STAYING.
AMONG THE ITEMS
POLICE FIND... GUNS, HANDCUFFS,
C.B. RADIOS, MOTEL RECEIPTS
UNDER A NUMBER OF FAKE NAMES,
AND THE LETTERS JUDITH WROTE TO
ALVIN FROM HER DAYS AT THE YDC.
BUT THERE IS NO SIGN OF
JANICE CHATMAN.
INVESTIGATORS TURN THEIR
ATTENTION TO JUDITH AND
ALVIN NEELLEY.
JUDITH IS INTERROGATED FIRST,
HOPING SHE'LL TELL THEM WHERE TO
FIND JANICE CHATMAN.
SHE WAS VERY COLD, VERY
MATTER-OF-FACT.
SHE SHOWED ABSOLUTELY NO
BUT JUDY ADMITTED THAT THEY HAD
PICKED UP CHATMAN AND
JOHN HANCOCK.
SHE ADMITTED TO WALKING HIM OUT
INTO THE WOODS, SHOOTING HIM IN
THE BACK, LEAVING HIM FOR DEAD.
SHE WENT ON TO SAY THAT THEY
CARRIED MS. CHATMAN BACK TO A
MOTEL THERE IN ROME AND KILLED
HER.
SHE SHOT HER IN THE BACK, AND
THEN WHEN SHE FELL AND WAS
"HOLLERING"... THAT WAS THE WORD
SHE USED... JUDY WENT OVER TO
HER AND PUT TWO MORE BULLETS IN
HER HEAD AS SHE LAY ON THE
GROUND.
THE DISORGANIZATION OF THESE
MURDERS SUGGEST THE CHILDISH
MINDS WHO PLANNED THEM.
WHAT HAPPENED MAY HAVE BEEN AS
SIMPLE AS SOMEONE SAYING TO
SOMEONE ELSE... ALVIN TO JUDITH
OR JUDITH TO ALVIN... "WELL,
REAL OUTLAWS DON'T LEAVE
WITNESSES."
JUDITH DOESN'T DENY
HER INVOLVEMENT IN THE DEATH OF
LISA ANN MILLICAN, EITHER.
SHE ADMITTED THAT SHE HAD
PICKED LISA MILLICAN UP.
THEY SPENT THE NIGHT IN A
MOTEL... THAT ALVIN, IN FACT,
JOINED THEM AT THAT PARTICULAR
MOTEL.
JUDITH WATCHES AS
ALVIN RAPES LISA ANN MILLICAN.
JUDITH NEELLEY SEEMED TO HAVE
A CONDITION WHERE SOMEONE GETS
EXCITED AT WATCHING ANOTHER
PERSON BE VIOLENT.
JUDITH NEELLEY MIGHT HAVE
ENJOYED WATCHING HER HUSBAND
RAPE EITHER BECAUSE SHE JUST
LIKED TO SEE THAT KIND OF
VIOLENCE AGAINST ANOTHER WOMAN
OR BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ELEMENT
OF SELF-HATRED IN IT, WHERE SHE
COULD ENVISION HERSELF AS THE
WOMAN BEING RAPED.
JUDITH NEELLEY TRIED TO KILL
LISA SEVEN DIFFERENT TIMES.
SHE INJECTED HER SIX TIMES WITH
A SOLVENT USED TO CLEAN DRAINS.
BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK.
TIME WAS PASSING, JUDITH GREW
IMPATIENT, AND SO, FINALLY, SHE
ASKED LISA TO STAND BESIDE THE
EDGE OF THE CANYON.
AND THERE, SHE SHOT HER IN THE
BACK.
AFTER LISA WAS DEAD, TO JUDITH'S
SURPRISE, SHE WAS STILL AT THE
TOP OF THE CANYON.
AND SO JUDITH GOT DOWN ON HER
KNEES AND PUSHED THE BODY OVER
THE SIDE.
WHEN THAT HAPPENED, SHE GOT HER
JEANS BLOODY, AND SO SHE CHANGED
HER JEANS AND THREW THOSE OVER
THIS CANYON WALL.
SHE ALSO THREW THE SYRINGES THAT
SHE HAD USED TO INJECT LISA OVER
THE SIDE OF THE CANYON.
FOR HER TO TAKE THE BLAME IN
THIS CASE, IT CERTAINLY COULD BE
THAT SHE WAS SO IMMATURE AS TO
BELIEVE THAT THESE CRIMES REALLY
WEREN'T THAT DAMAGING AND THAT
IT MADE HER POWERFUL AND SHE
ENJOYED IT.
ALVIN NEELLEY
CORROBORATES BOTH ACCOUNTS AND
PROVIDES POLICE WITH THE
LOCATION OF JANICE CHATMAN'S
BODY.
THEY FIND IT EXACTLY WHERE HE
SAID IT WOULD BE.
SHE HAD BEEN SHOT THREE TIMES.
ALVIN NEELLEY GAVE ME THE
IMPRESSION OF JUST BEING A BIG
OLD LAPDOG.
I.Q.-WISE, I WOULD SAY SHE WAS
DOUBLE OR TRIPLE HIM.
I JUST FELT LIKE THAT SHE WAS
EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT, AND HE
FELT LIKE, "WELL, I'M LUCKY TO
HAVE THIS WOMAN, SO IF I DON'T
DO WHAT SHE SAYS, SHE'LL LEAVE."
BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT
SHE WAS IN CHARGE.
ALVIN ADMITS TO
RAPING BOTH LISA ANN MILLICAN
AND JANICE CHATMAN.
ALVIN CONFESSED TO ALL OF
THESE ACTIVITIES, BUT IN HIS
CONFESSION, IT WAS ALWAYS HIS
WIFE, JUDITH, WHO WAS THE
DOMINANT PARTY.
HE CLAIMED THAT JUDITH WAS IN
IT FOR THE SEX, TOO.
THERE WAS NEVER ANY EVIDENCE OF
THAT.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THE
PRIMARY MOTIVE WAS THIS
OUTRAGEOUS NOTION OF BEING
OUTLAWS... THAT IT WAS
EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT TO REALLY
BE BAD PEOPLE.
THE QUESTION THAT WE ALWAYS
ASK WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT TEAM
KILLERS IS, "WOULD THEY
SEPARATELY HAVE HAD THE
PROPENSITY TO BE MURDERERS?"
I THINK, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE
KNOW ABOUT ALVIN UP TO THE POINT
WHEN THEY MET, HE SHOWED NO
INDICATION THAT HE REALLY WAS A
KILLER.
AND YET WITH JUDITH, WE
CERTAINLY SEE THAT SHE'S GOT
THAT KIND OF ANGER.
SHE FOLLOWS THROUGH ON REVENGE.
SHE HAS AGENDAS AGAINST PEOPLE.
HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A
KILLER, BUT SHE PROBABLY
WOULD'VE BEEN.
ON OCTOBER 16th,
JUST OVER A MONTH AFTER THEIR
LATEST CRIME SPREE BEGAN, JUDITH
AND ALVIN NEELLEY ARE
EXTRADITED TO ALABAMA TO FACE
CHARGES IN THE DEATH OF
LISA ANN MILLICAN.
BUT AUTHORITIES ARE ABOUT TO
DISCOVER THAT HAVING THE
NEELLEYS IN CUSTODY DOESN'T
GUARANTEE AN END TO THEIR OUTLAW
WAYS.
THE MONTHLONG
ARSON, KIDNAP, RAPE, AND MURDER
SPREE OF 18-YEAR-OLD JUDITH AND
29-YEAR-OLD ALVIN NEELLEY COMES
TO AN END WITH THE COUPLE'S
ARREST IN OCTOBER OF 1982.
JUDITH CONFESSES TO THE MURDER
OF 13-YEAR-OLD
LISA ANN MILLICAN, TAKING FULL
BLAME FOR THE ACT AND
EXONERATING HER HUSBAND.
WE NEVER HAD ANY EVIDENCE OR
PROOF THAT HE COMMITTED A CRIME
IN OUR JURISDICTION.
I THINK IT WAS A POWER THING
FOR JUDY.
SHE WANTED TO BE IN CHARGE.
SHE WANTED TO LET SOMEBODY KNOW
THAT SHE HAD DONE IT, AND IT WAS
HER WAY OF SAYING, "HERE I AM."
BUT FACED WITH A
THREE-COUNT INDICTMENT OF
ABDUCTION WITH INTENT TO HARM,
ABDUCTION WITH INTENT TO
TERRORIZE AND SEXUALLY VIOLATE,
AND MURDER, JUDITH APPLIES FOR
YOUTHFUL-OFFENDER STATUS IN
HOPES OF AVOIDING A POSSIBLE
DEATH SENTENCE.
HAD SHE BEEN GRANTED THAT
STATUS, THE MAXIMUM PUNISHMENT
WOULD'VE BEEN THREE YEARS ONLY.
TAKING JUDITH'S
PAST CRIMINAL HISTORY INTO
ACCOUNT, AS WELL AS THE SHOCKING
DETAILS OF LISA ANN MILLICAN'S
DEATH, ON DECEMBER 17, 1982, THE
COURT DENIES THE MOTION.
HER TRIAL IS SET FOR
MARCH 7, 1983.
WHEN THE DATE ARRIVES, A
DECIDEDLY DIFFERENT
JUDITH NEELLEY SHOWS UP FOR
COURT.
SHE HAD NICE CLOTHES ON, AND
SHE HAD MAKEUP, AND HER HAIR WAS
DONE NICELY.
AND I'M SURE HER ATTORNEYS
THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT SHE SHOULD
DO, AND IF I HAD BEEN THEM, I
WOULD'VE DONE THE SAME THING.
WHEN JUDITH TAKES
THE STAND, THE PROSECUTION
DISCOVERS THAT HER LOOK ISN'T
THE ONLY THING TO CHANGE.
WHEN SHE WAS FIRST ARRESTED,
SHE WAS VERY SURE OF HERSELF.
WHEN IT GOT TO TRIAL, SHE BECAME
VERY DEMURE.
SHE SEEMED TO HAVE A VERY
INTROVERTED PERSONALITY AND
TRIED TO SHOW ALL THE SIGNS OF
SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE BRAINWASHED
OR COERCED.
JUDY HAD CLAIMED THAT ALVIN
HAD MADE HER DO THESE THINGS,
THAT SHE HAD HAD NO PART IN THEM
OTHER THAN TO ACT AS HIS ZOMBIE.
TYPICALLY IN THESE
SITUATIONS, WHAT HAPPENS IS THE
MOST PSYCHOPATHIC PERSON TURNS
ON THE OTHER FAST SO THAT THEY
CAN THROW THE BLAME ON THAT
PERSON.
ALVIN NEELLEY WAS PORTRAYED
BY THE DEFENSE AS BEING THIS
BIG, BRUTAL GUY WHO TERRORIZED
AND BRUTALIZED HIS WIFE.
ANYBODY WHO MET ALVIN NEELLEY,
WHICH INCLUDED MYSELF, THE
INVESTIGATORS, ANYBODY WHO
EVER HAD CONTACT WITH HIM, WAS
IMMEDIATELY IMPRESSED BY HOW
INACCURATE THAT DESCRIPTION WAS.
ONCE, WHEN SHE WAS TESTIFYING,
SHE BENT HER HEAD OVER AND
APPEARED TO BE CRYING.
WE'D NEVER SEEN HER CRY BEFORE.
I STOPPED THE COURT, AND I ASKED
THE COURT TO INSTRUCT HER TO
LIFT HER FACE, TO LIFT HER HEAD.
THE COURT MADE HER LIFT HER
HEAD.
THERE WAS TOTAL DRY EYES... NO
CRYING, NO TEARS, NO NOTHING.
ONLY THROUGH THINGS LIKE THAT
COULD WE SHOW THE REAL
JUDITH NEELLEY.
AT 4:30 P.M. ON
MARCH 21st, AFTER 13 DAYS OF
TESTIMONY, JUDITH'S CASE GOES TO
THE JURY.
BY 10:45 A.M. THE NEXT MORNING,
THE JURY RETURNS WITH A
VERDICT... GUILTY ON ALL THREE
COUNTS.
THEY RECOMMEND A SENTENCE OF
LIFE IN PRISON.
UNDER ALABAMA LAW IN A
DEATH-PENALTY CASE, THE JURY
RETURNS A VERDICT AND RECOMMENDS
A PUNISHMENT.
THE JUDGE MUST MAKE THE FINAL
DECISION.
THE JUDGE REJECTS
THE JURY'S RECOMMENDATION AND
SENTENCES JUDITH NEELLEY TO
DEATH.
IT WAS THE JUDGE'S
DETERMINATION THAT IF YOU
COULDN'T EXECUTE JUDITH NEELLEY
IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA FOR THE
CRIME OF WHICH SHE HAD BEEN
FOUND GUILTY, YOU COULDN'T
EXECUTE ANYBODY.
THE ONLY TIME I EVER SAW
TRUE TEARS FROM HER WAS WHEN THE
COURT HANDED DOWN THE DEATH
SENTENCE.
THEN SHE CRIED.
AT THE AGE OF 18,
JUDITH BECOMES THE YOUNGEST
WOMAN EVER SENTENCED TO DEATH.
I CERTAINLY WALKED AWAY FROM
THE TRIAL OF THAT CASE WITH A
FEELING THAT JUSTICE HAD BEEN
SERVED.
JUDITH IS THEN SENT
TO GEORGIA, WHERE, ALONG WITH
ALVIN, SHE FACES CHARGES IN THE
ABDUCTION AND MURDER OF
JANICE CHATMAN AND THE
KIDNAPPING AND ATTEMPTED MURDER
OF JOHN HANCOCK.
NOT WANTING TO RISK ANOTHER
DEATH SENTENCE, JUDITH AGREES TO
TESTIFY AGAINST ALVIN IN
EXCHANGE FOR THE STATE DROPPING
THE MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER
CHARGES AGAINST HER AND ALLOWING
HER TO PLEAD GUILTY TO
KIDNAPPING.
ALVIN WAS CONFRONTING VERY
SERIOUS OFFENSES, AND IF HE
CONFESSED, THEN HE WOULD NOT BE
ELECTROCUTED.
ALVIN PLEADS GUILTY
TO THE KIDNAPPING AND MURDER OF
JANICE CHATMAN AND IS SENTENCED
TO TWO LIFE TERMS.
HE SIMPLY CHOSE TO LIVE IN
PRISON UNTIL THE END OF HIS
DAYS THAN TO FACE THE ELECTRIC
CHAIR.
JUDITH IS GIVEN A
LIFE SENTENCE BEFORE BEING
RETURNED TO ALABAMA'S DEATH ROW.
YEARS LATER, THE GOVERNOR OF
ALABAMA COMMUTED HER SENTENCE TO
LIFE... NOT FROM DEATH TO LIFE
WITHOUT PAROLE BUT FROM DEATH TO
LIFE.
SO THE ISSUE OF PAROLE WILL BE
SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE TO BE
FACED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IN
THE FUTURE.
ON
OCTOBER 24, 2005, WHILE SERVING
OUT HIS SENTENCE, ALVIN NEELLEY
DIES FROM COMPLICATIONS WHILE
UNDERGOING SURGERY.
JUDITH NEELLEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE
FOR PAROLE IN 2013 AT THE AGE
OF 49.
SHE'S BEEN IN JAIL A LONG
TIME.
AND SHE NEEDS TO STAY IN JAIL A
LONG TIME.
SHE CLAIMS TO BE ACTIVE IN
RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY NOW AND THAT
SHE'S CHANGED.
BUT THAT'S THE SAME SONG THAT
MOST PEOPLE THAT GO TO JAIL
SING.
IN MY OPINION, JUDY NEELLEY IS
PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS WOMEN IN 1982, AND I
THINK SHE PROBABLY STILL IS
TODAY.
YOU CAN ONLY GO ON WHAT
HAPPENED BEFORE.
AND WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE MAKES
NO RHYME OR REASON WITHIN THE
BOUNDS OF HUMAN DECENCY.
AND YOU HAVE TO EXPECT THAT THAT
WOULD CONTINUE.
IF SOMEBODY WERE TO SAY, "DO
YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF A WOMAN
WHO REALLY WAS A KILLER, A
COLD-BLOODED KILLER?" SHE
SPRINGS TO MIND PRETTY FAST.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE MAY
HAVE A LOWER VICTIM COUNT, THE
AGGRESSION, THE ANGER, THE
MANIPULATIVENESS, AND THE
CLEVERNESS OF WHAT SHE WAS DOING
DOES STAND OUT.
BUT I ALSO THINK BECAUSE ALVIN
WAS MUCH OLDER THAN HER AND MUCH
MORE EXPERIENCED... HAD BEEN TO
PRISON AND HAD DONE A LOT OF THE
PETTY THEFTS... THAT HE WAS
PROBABLY THE DOMINANT PARTNER,
IN TERMS OF HOW THEY GOT MONEY,
THE FACT THAT THEY RAN AROUND AS
MUCH AS THEY DID.
AND SO EACH HAD A PART IN HOW
THEY OPERATED.
THERE ARE CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS THAT SIMPLY
COMBUST INTO SOME KIND OF FIERY
ELEMENT, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED IN THE CASE OF MR. AND
MRS. NEELLEY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IF THEY WERE
TO HAVE MET IN A CORRIDOR OR IN
A JAIL SOMEWHERE LONG AFTER THIS
TRIAL, THEY WOULD'VE SHARED A
WINK AND A SMILE.