MOUNTAIN CITY — The Johnson County Sheriff’s Department is searching for clues in the shooting deaths of a man and woman in their home at 128 James Davis Lane on Tuesday morning.
Billy Clay Payne Jr., 36, and his girlfriend Billie Jean Hayworth, 23, were each shot in the head. Payne also had his throat cut. There was one survivor. Sheriff Mike Reece said their 6-month-old baby was found in his dead mother’s arms but was unhurt. The baby is now with his maternal grandmother.
“The only good thing to come out of this is, hopefully, this child is too young to remember any of this,” Reece said.
It is a crime Reece will certainly remember. The lawman who has been sheriff since 2006 called the crime the “worst I have ever seen.” It was so terrible he thought it must be a revenge killing. But that is just another puzzling piece of a case that doesn’t yet make any sense.
Reece said the killings took place in a peaceful neighborhood that includes a state trooper’s residence nearby. Those who knew him said Payne was a hard worker who sometimes worked 12-hour days. Reece said there had never been any 911 calls at the home.
The last person to see the couple alive on Tuesday was Billy Payne Sr. The couple and their child lived in the elder Payne’s home. He told investigators he left the house at 5:30 a.m. for his job in Boone, N.C. Payne said when he was leaving he saw Hayworth had gotten up to feed her child.
The slayings were discovered at 10:30 a.m., when a man who had previously lived in the neighborhood came by. Reece said the Paynes collected the mail sent to his old address and held it for the man. He discovered the deaths and called 911.
“At first, I thought it was a murder suicide, but that was quickly proved not the case,” Reece said.
Reece said Payne was apparently still in bed when the murderer arrived. He was found in his bedroom, still in the clothes he slept in. Hayworth was shot in the baby’s room. Reece said there did not appear to be any struggle and there did not appear to be a forced entry. No weapons were found.
Reece said his deputies combed the neighborhood seeking witnesses. They found no one who saw or heard anything unusual in the quiet neighborhood.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation sent three agents to the scene and the house was thoroughly examined. The bodies were taken to East Tennessee State Unviersity’s James H. Quillen College of Medicine in Johnson City for autopsies.
Reece said after his deputies conducted their investigations in the neighborhood they began tracking down tips. So far, Reece said, none of the tips have led to a break in the case.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the sheriff’s department at 727-7761.
speakthetruth writes:
January 31, 2012
7:54 PM
wonder if it had anything to do with that stupid meth or a drug debt. Our community is not what it used to be!!
davidgarland writes:
January 31, 2012
10:56 PM
Congratulations speakthetruth. You must really be proud of your anonymous username. If you had any courage you would use your real name. You assume Billy was using meth without knowing anything about the young man. Did you know he had an 8 month old son? Also, people on meth don't get up at 6:00 am to go to work. He works 12 hours a day. What is your work schedule Mr. righteous? I am Billy's stepfather. His mother is grieving. I cant even imagine what his biological father is feeling now since Billy was murdered in his home.
David Garland,
Knoxville
waskleyrabbit writes:
February 1, 2012
2:46 AM
Maybe Speakthetruth meant that the person or persons that did this horrible crime was on Meth... ? I did not read it to mean that he was saying that the victims were doing drugs... God speed to help the police find who did this. I pray that the family is able to get through this without anymore suffering.
schausjen writes:
February 1, 2012
7:25 AM
@davidgarland... You are absolutely right. I don't know any druggies that hold a real 12 hour a day job. I am sorry for the loss in your family and I hope the police find who did this quickly so justice is served. Prayers to the family.
dallasman writes:
February 1, 2012
8:43 AM
Speakthetruth..... Maybe you should get your facts straight before you post. We should be praying for the family. Especially the little one that survived.
hannahtolley writes:
February 1, 2012
10:02 AM
It makes me sick to think there are people out there that could do this to a family. I have a 7 month old son of my own, i can't imagine how had it's going to be on that baby. This really breaks my heart, i'll be praying for the family and that baby. God bless. I'm so sorry.
Tiffany R writes:
February 1, 2012
11:57 AM
You go Dave. Billy was like one of my moms own children and for people to be so ugly during this is insane. I am not sure what happened but I really hope that they find out who did it. Dave please tell my Aunt that I am sorry for her lose and that I love her.
Ronald B writes:
February 1, 2012
12:13 PM
It is very sad that this tragedy happened.My prayers go out to both families in this time of loss.I hope they find the Heartless person who done this!
Tiffany R writes:
February 1, 2012
1:36 PM
How do you know that it was someone that they knew. I dont think Dave said anything like you are talking about. That is my cousin you are talking about and he is dead and there is alot of family members that dont need this right now so could you please just stop saying the things that you are saying. Let the investigators do their jobs.
TruthAndLight writes:
February 1, 2012
1:57 PM
No forced entry duhhhh they let the killer in!! Im sure you watch CSI on your cable network.
TruthAndLight writes:
February 1, 2012
1:59 PM
My prayers are with the family. Though dont let your sadness cover up for the drug use..thats messing with the investigation. Im sure they will run tests on them to see if they were on any.
TruthAndLight writes:
February 1, 2012
2:10 PM
Im only posting because I saw the attack by davidgarland on the first comment made by speakthetruth.
Sheri writes:
February 2, 2012
7:36 PM
Matthew 7:1-2 Judge not,that ye be not judged.For with what judgement ye judge,ye shall be judged.Let's bow our heads & pray for these broken hearted families.Their love ones are gone & I'm so sorry their going through this.Put yourself in their shoes,would you want to hear negative things.The devil just keeps on working.
wbuchanan writes:
February 3, 2012
9:40 AM
Having a relationship with the "Hayworth" family I can not express how saddened I am by this horrible crime. I have lived in East Tennessee my whole life and the "Hayworth" family from Johnson County are some of the finest people you will ever have the privelidge to meet. God Bless all family members involved, especially the little boy left behind without parents. I see crimes like this on T. V. in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, all the big cities, not in my beloved East Tennessee. I hope the culprit or culprits are caught soon and punished to the very maximum the law will allow. My prayers and thoughts are with both families...
Russel writes:
February 6, 2012
1:55 AM
It is sad that this happened, and as bad as it my sound to those who are in the family, murders like this, dont happen without drugs being a factor. However, it is tragic, and I hope the find who did this, and they are severly punished. Drugs or no drugs, A child was left with out parents, and a family was broken. I hope that this family can be strong during this aweful time.
schausjen writes:
February 7, 2012
5:59 PM
When something like this happens it doesn't mean that drugs are the reason. In fact, they have the ppl in custody that did this and it wasn't over drugs.
EvilLady writes:
February 9, 2012
3:11 AM
they were murdered because they removed the killer's daughter as a friend on facebook.... and murders do happen without drugs being a factor....
harviele writes:
February 25, 2012
12:31 PM
Some things don't add up. If Billy Junior was to go to work at 6am he would not still be in bed when his father left at 5:30am. I would guess that Billy Sr. is the primary suspect since there were no signs of forced entry. He may be completely innocent but still should be the prime suspect until evidence shows otherwise. Since this was an execution style murder and there was a state trooper living in the area they probably should check for a connection there too.
harley121 writes:
March 3, 2012
10:44 PM
It seems to me that it is one of two things; 1, they are victoms of a home invasion, or 2, they were into something illegal,,,,, this stuff just does not happen to law abiding folks (except as in #1 above).
God rest there souls...