(DailyChive.com) – A Georgia man has been charged with his wife’s murder nearly two decades after her death, following revelations from their former nanny who became his partner after the crime.
At a Glance
- Jon Worrell was arrested for the 2006 murder of his wife Doris after the case was reopened based on information from their former nanny
- Initially believed to be a botched robbery, investigators later discovered Jon feared losing his children in a divorce
- After the murder, Jon fled to Costa Rica with the family’s nanny, who later provided crucial evidence to authorities
- Worrell faces multiple charges including malice murder, felony murder, and conspiracy to commit murder
- The case remained unsolved for 19 years until the nanny’s cooperation provided a breakthrough
Murder Plot Disguised as Robbery
In 2006, Doris Worrell, a former teacher and interior designer who had chosen to stay home to raise her three children, was found dead in what appeared to be a botched robbery at the family’s business, Jon’s Sports Park in Douglas, Georgia. Her husband, Jon Worrell, reported finding his wife’s body after returning from running errands, launching what would become a nearly two-decade investigation. The case initially led to charges against two employees in 2008, but those charges were later dropped when evidence pointed elsewhere.
Law enforcement officials now believe the murder was far from random. According to investigators, Jon Worrell had been engaged in an affair with the family’s nanny and feared losing custody of his children if his wife discovered the relationship and pursued divorce. These concerns allegedly drove him to recruit someone to murder his wife, staging the crime scene to appear as though it occurred during a robbery.
“Many believed he was a grieving husband and his wife was the victim of a robbery gone wrong.”
Escape to Costa Rica and Eventual Return
Following Doris Worrell’s murder, Jon Worrell fled to Costa Rica with the family’s nanny, who had been deported to her native Venezuela but later relocated. The pair lived together in Costa Rica for years, raising Jon and Doris’s three children. Authorities struggled to make progress on the case until a significant breakthrough came when the relationship between Worrell and the nanny eventually deteriorated, and she decided to cooperate with investigators.
“Jon was concerned that if he divorced Doris, he would lose his children, And it’s those thoughts that led him to begin recruiting someone to murder his wife.”
After returning to the United States following the end of his relationship with the nanny, Worrell was arrested in Missouri and extradited to Georgia to face justice. While the nanny provided crucial information that corroborated existing evidence, authorities have stated she is not considered a suspect in the murder. Investigators are still working to determine who actually shot Doris Worrell, suggesting others may have been involved in carrying out the crime.
Justice After 19 Years
Nearly two decades after the crime, Jon Worrell now faces serious charges including malice murder, felony murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and aggravated battery. He has been denied bond and plans to hire an attorney to defend against the charges. The case represents a significant victory for persistent law enforcement efforts, sending a message that even cold cases can eventually be solved when new information comes to light.
“This case was never forgotten, And while the road has been long and often frustrating, we never gave up. Justice delayed is still justice.”
Doris Worrell’s sister, LeAnn Tuggle, has expressed gratitude to investigators for their persistence and remembered her sister as a loving mother whose kindness may have ultimately been exploited. The tragic irony of the case, as noted by family members, is that Doris’s trusting nature may have contributed to her vulnerability. Former classmates and family members have found a measure of closure in knowing that efforts to bring her alleged killer to justice never ceased.
“Sometimes she was too kind for her own good. Her being kind is ultimately what caused her death.”
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