02 July 2012

The Pottses—Murder in the Hills

Part 3


(parts 1 and 2 appear below)

July 1987. Interlude.

My mother calls me to talk about this and that. At some point, we get onto Mrs. Potts: You know, honey, something just don't seem right down there. She's at that house just going about like nothing ever happened. She rides around the yard on that old mower like she don't have a care in the world. And she's there all alone in that house at night. Now wouldn't you be scared after what happened?

Hmm. Well, Mary Belle always was up for a good story and—I don't know—how are you supposed to act if your husband was murdered and now you were alone in the house? Back there, people aren't too keen on jumping up and leaving a house they've lived in their whole lives, no matter what. It doesn't much occur to them.

* * *

October 1988. A year and eight months after Mr. Potts' murder.

Mary Belle calls. More news about the Pottses, she says. Last night, somebody came in the house again and killed Mrs. Potts this time!

Skin crawl.

Yeah, they chased her all over the house, stabbing her, and then they stuck a screwdriver right through her temple while she lay dying on the bedroom floor.




I learned later that there was a crucifix sticking halfway out of her chest. Who stabs an old woman with a screwdriver and a crucifix??

* * *

After that, there was gossip about Patty Potts and one or the other boyfriend and drugs. For a while, Patty was living there. That didn't sit right with a lot of people.

Some of the villagers suggested that bad men from Cleveland had come down I-77 and found the place the first time by accident, and then came back to "silence" Mrs. Potts. I think those bad men would have more pressing things to do, right there close to Cleveland.

Once when I told a friend about all this, as I finished she said, I think your mom did it. 

Good grief.

But here the story stretches into the distance, seemingly without end. There haven't been any leads in the case since. People stopped talking about it long ago. What do you think?






57 comments:

  1. "I think your mom did it." Did your friend say that with a straight face?


    http://youtu.be/DvnkTUbssbI

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  2. She may have been half serious. She knew my mom.

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  3. Of course, it's always troubling to hear of anyone being murdered but I think it's extra sad when you hear of someone being able to viciously attack an old man and an old woman. It's so sad to think they lived all those years and then to have their lives end so horribly, with fear being the last thing they felt...... instead of passing away peacefully with each other.

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  4. I agree with MLH. The whole thing is horrifying.

    Your telling of the story, though, was fantastic!

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  5. I think the police were very slack due to their inbreeding and gayness. They were too busy riding around committing gay acts to perform the civil servant and protective services they were being paid for. How much investigation time did they put into solving this crime . Someone should have put a screwdriver in their skull after chasing n stabbing their slack donut eating carbuncle on the ass of society lazy asses. Tell me that they didn't harrasse the locals.

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    1. The police are gay?!? You may have solved this mystery....

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  6. There are plenty smart hard working compassionate people serving our communities as policemen but I swear there are many that make you wonder, and I'mbeing serious, if being moderately to severely retarded is one of the criteria for employment.

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  8. Soooo crazy its 2am n I was just wondering about this myself. I was also thinking about the unsolved murder of robin stone and her unborn 8 month old child. Im from Byesville ohio and cant believe the cold cases we have when we r all such a small community and everyone knows everyone.

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    1. I'm from Byesville, too, but moved away many years ago. My parents continued to reside there.
      I couldn't find much info on Robin Stone's murder. Just that one Jeff article and her Facebook memorial....

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  9. Well I'm the one from Cambridge area. And I found this page by accident.

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  10. Anonymouses--

    I see that some of you (or, someones else) are commenting on the WS and/or SD websites. Thank you, too. I will respond there, and bring any additional info here with your permission.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. i heard through some people it was the Lloyd brothers, Toby Lloyd, Dino Llyod and their sister Joanne and her husband Mike.

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    4. Are u serious my brother was 13 at the time and my sister wasn't even married to Mike or knew him till the late 90s.. how can you though peoples names out that you have no clue about.. I want my family's names taken off of here. This is ridiculous

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  11. I am a relative of the Pottses and I submitted this to the Vidocq society in Philadelphia who investigates cold cases but they have not replied if they will take it. Patty was always the prime suspect to me she had motive and resources including mafia tie with her biological siblings.

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    1. i heard through some people it was the Lloyd brothers, Toby Lloyd, Dino Llyod and their sister Joanne and her husband Mike.

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  12. I am formerly from Guernsey County and had always wondered about these murders. Thanks for the infromation you have provided and your blog!

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  13. I moved from Byesville in the early 80's. My mother still resided there until the late 80's and I remember her telling me about this. Creepy!

    I laughed so hard when I read "I think your mom did it". HA!!!

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  14. Why is it so hard to find any information about this cold case? I even looked on the Attorney general's webpage.

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  15. Nice story. I was a young person who lived around the Cambridge/Byesville area at the time of the murders and I happen to know that the sheriff office had suspected a couple local men at the time. I guess they just didn't have any proof to connect the dots. I watch a lot of crime shows though and with the advancements of DNA you would think they would have something with the murderer's DNA on it. I also know that a year after Mrs. Potts was murdered Unsolved Mysteries was contacted and they were interested in doing a segment and the sheriffs office refused to cooperate.

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    1. Hi, Anonymous. I think I know what your screen name is, but not your real name, of course. I just wanted you to know that I am familiar with you and I think you've had a lot of great things to say on here.

      I too have heard the things you've heard about the local men (I know some names that have been put forth by what I consider a very reputable source), and about the non-cooperation of the Sheriff's Dept with outside interests.

      I have contacted the Sheriff's Dept with some specific hear-say info but it is no surprise that I wouldn't hear back or anything. I'm sure they don't do that. I do know that the suspects I named and asked them about are currently incarcerated for a long time. Maybe they don't want to pursue these murders because of that? Waste of resources?

      I know at least two people who have suffered for decades now being on the fringe of this crime. I feel they would benefit by some closure. Who's to say what really constitutes a waste of resources....

      Thank you for your insightful comments. ~the tapu

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  16. 2 men one since died

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  17. I heard some names too. Overheard the adults talk about it when I was young.

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  18. I heard some names too. Overheard the adults talk about it when I was young.

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  19. What do you mean SD or WE sites?

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    1. SD = Straight Dope
      WS = WebSleuths
      :)

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    2. I remember those murders like it was yesterday...rumor back then was that Patty was involved with Tim Terrel and they used to do cult stuff at the graveyard across from their home...heard that Mr.Potts saw them and that was the reason they killed him then feared she knew who did it so killed her. Tim ended up raping and murdering a prostitute while at a graveyard...so I hear

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    3. Hello. I am a writer that produced a podcast about these murders. If you feel comfortable, please send an email to lordsofdeathpodcast@gmail.com if you’d like to further elaborate on this. Additionally feel free to check out the podcast Lords of Death.

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  20. Just stumbled onto this page. I knew Patty Potts when I was a child. She worked with my Dad at FabriForm in Byesville. I was in the Navy when this happened. My sister told me about it. She lives nearby in Senecaville.
    I can’t really believe Patty had mob ties. I’d ask my Dad but he passed away in 2007. I also didn’t know they’d been murdered in two separate incidents. THAT is weird.

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    1. Hello, Scarlet Termite.
      Thanks for commenting. I think the "mobs tie-in" is a little far-fetched too, but maybe because I know nothing about such things. Some locals are still interested in the case and in touch with me from time to time. If you ever hear anything, please come back and comment again.
      Yours, the tapu

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  21. I heard about a man and women in a car accident close by ... man ran to the Potts house for help they didn’t answer... the young lady died from this accident and the man blamed the Potts for her death cause they could have called for help... this man came back and killed the Potts on or close to the anniversary of his lady friends death 1 year apart

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    1. Actually I know for certain it wasn't a man and his wife in the accident. It was twin sisters who were in the accident. The bridge was out on vocational road. The twins had left buffalo bar and grill, had been drinking and hit the bridge abutment. 1 lived and 1 died. Their car sat there til morning with them in it. Apparently the 1 who died had just gotten married the previous month or something and the husband was very upset with the Pottses saying there was no way they didn't hear the accident or the screams for help. He blamed them thinking if they had called for help his wife would possibly still be alive.

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    2. Who was the gal that perish in the accident

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  22. I heard it was Jack Lowe and Glen Holmes. Also heard it was Alex Repasky and his 2 sons Joe and Bob.

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  23. It was Toby, Dino and his sister Joanne and Mike. Iam a spiritual leader on this earth. My job is to know this stuff I seen it happen threw my crystal ball.Mike was the leader

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  24. They are all going to hell!! They work for the devil. I saw the devil himself pay them a suitcase of money each.

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  25. Who ever you are your nuts! Glen Holmes makes alot of sense since he did murder a man awhile back and threw his body over in Rossiters field. His brother Alan said himself he killed him.Kevin Rossiter said he saw him dump the body.

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  26. Heard they were into pedafillia and a unpayed parent collected.I also heard Holmes names and Jack Lowe.

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  27. Hi Tapu, funny I just stumbled on your blog here. I was just recently thinking of Mr.Potts. You see, I was on the terrible scene when he was murdered. I worked back then as assistant Corner. And let me tell you, it was brutal seeing Mr.P laying there soaked in blood. What I found odd was there was a blood and tissue trail out the side door to the "bell" in their yard. Like he was possibly being attacked as he was trying to ring the bell for help. He definitely fought. There was splatter all over his house. Sad. However, I wasn't at the scene of his wife's murder and was shocked like everyone else. The only thing I heard was it was something to do with the occult....

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    1. Hello! Thanks for sharing your memories and thoughts about this terrible crime. I know some people who are serious about putting together first hand details around this. Could we contact you? If so, please reach me through this email: the_tapu@yahoo.com. Thanks!

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    2. Hi Tapu, I'm not sure if I want to get involved due to the fact that the killer(s) are still at large. Understandably so. If I were to email you, that would give my identity away as my email has my last name...lol..However, If you think it may really helpful, I'll consider it because I believe they (Pott's) deserve justice.

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    3. Hello. I am a writer that produced a podcast about these murders. If you feel comfortable, please send an email to lordsofdeathpodcast@gmail.com if you’d like to further elaborate on this. Additionally feel free to check out the podcast Lords of Death.

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  28. The truth is out there.

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  29. There was a witness the night she got killed. They parked in the cemetery and almost hit a boy walking home that snuck out that night and went to byesville. This boy is now a man and still tells the story like it happened yesterday.

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    1. Hello. I am a writer that produced a podcast about these murders. If you feel comfortable, please send an email to lordsofdeathpodcast@gmail.com if you’d like to further elaborate on this. Additionally feel free to check out the podcast Lords of Death.

      Delete
  30. There has been so many cold cases around the area it is shocking the potts murders and robin stone and dale Vincent honestly I heard the same thing about the potts murders occult type killings but it is all here say just sad there still cold and not solved

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  31. Wow what a tragedy. What's even a bigger tragedy is there are a bunch of innocent peoples names on here. I was 14 hrs old when this happened, my friends an neighbors mentioned had nothing to do with this either, so why are you allowing names to be slandered. You may say you didn't make the comments but you are allowing them on your blog. Would you please remove the names off of the comments on here, would be the classy thing to do and it could also save you from a pricy law suit.

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  32. Hello. I am a writer that produced a podcast about these murders. If you feel comfortable and have additional information, please send an email to lordsofdeathpodcast@gmail.com . Additionally feel free to check out the podcast Lords of Death.

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  33. With all the advanced DNA techniques now in 2022, why cant this case be looked at again? Many of the investigators then are no longer alive and new eyes should be brought into this heinous crime and give the survivoring family members of Mr&Mrs. Potts some type of closure. Someone knows something!Certainly there has to be some type of preserved DNA.

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