Action News 5 s Justin Hanson interviewed Mary Mayes in prison on November 9, These are his logs from that interview:

Transcription

1 Action News 5 s Justin Hanson interviewed Mary Mayes in prison on November 9, These are his logs from that interview: MARY FRANCES MAYES: SPENT 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY IN JAIL IN HARDEMAN COUNTY BACK IN JULY; HUSBAND IS JOHNNY IN AND OUT OF HOSPITAL 3 TIMES THIS YEAR - HEART ISSUES AND NECROPSY PNEUMONIA AGE 66 WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IN WOMEN'S PRISON...TREATED MUCH BETTER THAN HARDEMAN COUNTY 16:27: IN WAYS I'M FREER THAN I WAS AT HOME 16:27: I GET TO GO TO CHURCH HERE, I DON'T HAVE TO ASK ANYBODY IF I CAN DO SOMETHING BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I CAN DO AND WHAT I CAN'T DO HERE ENJOYS GOING TO LIBRARY, GOING TO GYM AND WATCHING PEOPLE EXERCISE ABLE TO WRITE LETTER TO SISTER FOR FIRST TIME JUST THIS WEEK 16:29:09-19 IT S SO HARD BECAUSE I KEEP THINKING IF I'D BEEN OVER THERE WHERE HE WAS AT, I COULDA GOT HIM TO HAVE NOT KILLED HIMSELF 16:29: I DIDN'T GET TO GRIEVE FOR HIM BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS DEAD. MY DAUGHTER IN LAW DESIGNATED HIS BODY TO SCIENCE...DONATED IT. SO, WHEN I GET OUTTA HERE I'M GONNA FIND OUT WHERE IT IS AND I'M GONNA TAKE IT BACK TO THE CAROLINAS AND PUT IT WHERE THE MAYES ARE BURIED AT. 16:29: I KNOW HE DID WRONG, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT BROUGHT IT ON, BUT HE'S STILL MY SON AND I CAN'T...PEOPLE SAY HOW CAN YOU DO THAT? I SAY, YOU'RE NOT A MOTHER ARE YOU? 16:30: ADRIENNE WAS MY JUNEBUG, THAT WAS HER NAME ON THE TEXT. I WAS THELMA LOU AND SHE WAS JUNEBUG. AND WE WERE GONNA GO TO THE GRAND CANYON WHEN SHE TURNED 16. SHE HAD GOT A CAR. I TOLD HER, WELL WE CAN GO, BUT YOU AIN'T DRIVING OFF. SHE WAS GOING THROUGH THELMA AND LOUISE. 16:31: THAT'S WHAT I CAN T UNDERSTAND. THE KIDS WOULD ALWAYS COME TO THE HOUSE AND IT WAS USUALLY 12:30 OR 1 IN THE MORNING WHEN THEY GOT THERE. ADAM WOULD BRING ALL THREE GIRLS TO HOUSE IN UNION COUNTY. JOANN DIDN'T VISIT BUT A COUPLE OF TIMES IN UNION COUNTY.

2 YOU COULDN'T HELP BUT LOVE THE GIRLS 16:32: ADAM SET OUT TO DO AND HE DID WHAT HE WANTED TO DO, HE DESTROYED THE FAMILIES, BOTH SIDES OF THEM 16:33: I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE DEAD UNTIL THE FBI CAME DOWN AND ASKED IF HE'D DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENT. HE HAD CUT HIS HAIR OFF. I ASKED HIM ABOUT THAT AND HE SAID BECAUSE HE WAS GETTING A PUBLIC JOB AND HE WANTED HIS HAIR CUT. 16:33: I THOUGHT HE'D BEEN WORKING ON HIS TRUCK. HE CAME IN AND HE WAS DIRTY. I DONT KNOW HOW LONG THEY'D BEEN DEAD WHEN THEY GOT THERE. I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE DEAD TILL THEY ASKED ME IF HE HAD ACTED UNUSUAL. I TOLD THEM, WELL THAT NIGHT, I'D GOTTEN UP TO GET MY MILK. IT WAS ABOUT 2:30 OR 3. I'M NOT GOOD BECAUSE THIS THING IS STILL..I HAVE DAYS I STILL DON'T REMEMBER. WAS IN MS TAKING CARE OF JOHNNY WHEN GIRLS WERE KILLED. ADAM SAID GIRLS WERE COMING BACK ONE MORE TIME BEFORE THEY MOVED TO ARIZONA. 16:35: ALEX HAD SAID WHEN THEY WERE GETTING READY TO GO BACK, SHE SAID, I'D RATHER DIE THAN GO BACK TO THAT JAIL. THAT'S THE WAY SHE PUT IT. --- SPEAKING OF HOUSE IN HARDEMAN COUNTY WITH GARY LIKE A GRANDMOTHER TO THE GIRLS 16:36: I HADN'T SEEN MY FAMILY...ONE DAUGHTER I HADN'T SEEN SINCE 1985 AND THE REST OF THEM IT S BEEN ABOUT 20 YEARS. HAS 6 CHILDREN...5 NOW AFTER ADAM KILLED HIMSELF 16:36: HE DID WHAT HE SET OUT TO DO. HE WAS TOO BIG OF A CHICKEN TO COME AND TURN HIMSELF IN IS WHAT I'M THINKING. I TOLD HIM, I SAID, ADAM...THIS IS BEFORE ALL THIS WENT DOWN. HE KEPT THINKING ALEX WAS HIS. (JUSTIN ASKS, WAS HE A FATHER TO ANY OF THOSE GIRLS) NOT THAT I KNOW OF. 16:37: HE DOTED ON ALEX CAUSE THAT'S WHO HE THOUGHT WAS HIS. 16:37: I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, WHY ADRIENNE AND HER MOMMA. FROM ALL ACCOUNTS I KNEW, HE LOVED THEM. I KNOW HE KILLED THEM BECAUSE THEY SAID INSTEAD OF SURRENDERING WHENEVER HE GOT THE CHANCE HE SHOT HIMSELF. NOW THAT'S NOT SOMEBODY WHO'S INNOCENT...NOT SOMEBODY WHO'S INNOCENT. LAST VISITED HARDEMAN COUNTY FIRST OF FEBRUARY :38: ME I COULD UNDERSTAND OR HIS WIFE, BUT ADRIENNE AND JOANN, NO. BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THEY WERE AFRAID OF HIM. I WAS AFRAID OF HIM. I'D WAKE UP AT NIGHT AND HE'D BE STANDING OVER ME JUST STARING AND HE GOT TO WHERE HE WAS DRINKING VODKA...LITER BOTTLES...TWO OR THREE A DAY. JOHNNY HAD NERVOUS BREAKDOWN IN 2000; HE'S CHILDLIKE NOW.

3 16:40: WHENEVER THE FBI SAID ASKED IF HE'D DONE ANYTHING UNUSUAL. I WENT OUT THERE AND SHOWED THEM WHERE HE HAD DUG. I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE IN THERE. I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE IN THE GROUND. I'D WALKED BACK AND FORTH OVER THAT THING FEEDING OUR ANIMALS OUT THERE. BURY TRANSMISSION FLUID AND OIL FILTERS AND STUFF INSTEAD OF THROWING AWAY. ADAM WENT BACK IN TRAILER AFTER BURIED BODIES. MARY AND JOHNNY AND TERESA WERE STAYING IN HOTEL, HOLIDAY INN, BECAUSE OF FEAR. 16:42: THE NIGHT I GOT ARRESTED AND COME UP HERE TO HARDEMAN, THAT'S THE FIRST NIGHT OF SLEEP I'VE SLEPT IN ABOUT 15 OR 16 YEARS AND NOT WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING HAPPENING TO ME 16:42: IT JUST FEELS SO UNREAL BECAUSE I HAD BAD DREAMS DOWN THERE THAT HE CAME IN THE POD AND SHOT EVERYBODY AND I'D WAKE UP AND HE'D BE STANDING AT THE FOOT OF THE BED. 16:43: PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, THEY'D SAY WHY DIDN'T YOU GO? I COULDN'T GET MY HUSBAND BECAUSE ADAM HAD COMPLETE CONTROL OVER JOHNNY. ANYTHING, LIKE HIS CHECKS, ADAM WOULD GET THEM AND USE IT FOR WHATEVER HE WANTED. WE PAID THE RENT AND LIGHTS AND ALL THAT OUT OF IT, BUT ANY EXTRA ADAM KEPT IT. GOT $446 / MONTH FROM JOHNNY'S CHECK; GROCERIES COMING OUT OF MY CHECK ADAM USED MONEY FOR TELEPHONES...HAD 2 ANDROID PHONES. BOUGHT ONE FOR HIM AND ONE FOR ALEX. 16:44: I HOPE ADRIENNE DIDN'T SUFFER (CRYING). WHY? WHY WOULD HE HURT HER? SHE HAD JUST GOT HER BELLY BUTTON PIERCED. SHE HAD HER FIRST SUNBURN FROM DOWN AT OUR NEIGHBORS HOUSE. 16:44: NOW I'M NOT WITH MY HUSBAND, NOT WITH MY FAMILY JOHNNY IS WITH OLDEST SON IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 16:45: (JUSTIN ASKS, DO YOU THINK YOUR SON WAS A DEMON?) I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT. I HAVE TO BELIEVE SOMETHING GOT INTO HIM AND I DONT KNOW WHAT IT WAS. STARTED GETTING SCARED OF ADAM WHEN HE WAS 14 OR 15. HE WAS 35 WHEN HE DIED. ADAM COULD GET JOHNNY TO DO ANYTHING...ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS ASK. 16:46: I WAS THE ONE THAT HAD TO MAKE HIM GO TO SCHOOL. I HAD TO DRIVE HIM. HE COULDN'T RIDE THE BUS BECAUSE HE SAID THERE WERE TOO MANY PEOPLE PICKING ON HIM. 16:46: ADAM HAD IT MADE. OUR OTHER CHILDREN COULDN'T GET THE SAME TREATMENT FROM THEIR DAD THAT ADAM GOT. HE BELIEVED EVERYTHING ADAM SAID. 16:47: I FIGURED ADAM KNEW WHERE WE WERE AT...THE FBI WALKED US UP TO HER HOUSE (LANDLADY) 16:47: JOHNNY, IF YOU WATCH THIS, I LOVE YOU. IT S JUST SO HARD. MY FAMILY IS BEHIND ME. HE HAD ME BELIEVING THEY DIDN'T WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH ME.

4 I'VE SEEN PJ AND JOHN IN JAIL. SAW PJ (PAM) BEFORE TRIAL. JOHN LIVES IN SPARTANBURG TAKING CARE OF JOHNNY 16:48: WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU...HOW CAN YOU PUT TWO CHILDREN IN A CAR WITH THEIR MOTHER AND SISTER DEAD IN THE BACK OF IT. 16:49: HE HAD HIS 9MM PISTOL. HE SAID THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING. YOU LET US OUT. HE SAID THE NEED TO KNOW MOMMA. YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW. AND I KNEW ADAM ENOUGH NOT TO QUESTION HIM. 16:49: HE COULD GET REALLY VIOLENT WHEN YOU QUESTIONED HIM. HE THOUGHT HE WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING. 16:50: WHEN I WOKE UP, AND I'D SEEN ADAM OUT THERE DIGGING...I THOUGHT, NOW IF I ASK HIM OR HE COMES IN AND I'M AWAKE, HE'S GONNA ASK ME IF I WANNA GO OUT AND HELP DIG 16:51: HE CARRIED THAT 9MM GUN AROUND, EVEN WHEN DOOLEN WAS DOWN THERE QUESTIONING HIM AND TELLING HIM HE WAS THE LAST PERSON TO SEE EVERYBODY, HE HAD THAT 9MM TUCKED IN THE BACK OF HIS PANTS. WENT TO HOSPITAL WITH CHEST PAINS WHEN SHE FOUND OUT WOMEN WERE BURIED IN BACK YARD. FBI TOLD ME GIRLS WERE IN BACKYARD. WOMEN WERE BURIED IN BETWEEN DOG KENNELS. 16:52: I KNEW HE COULD DO US, MY HUSBAND AND TERESA, HIS WIFE, AND ME. I KNEW THAT NO DOUBT HE WANTED TO KILL US ALL THREE. 16:53: I FORGAVE HIM, BUT FORGET I CAN'T...I CAN'T DO THAT. HE TOOK SOMEBODY WHO WAS JUST STARTING HER LIFE. AND HE ENDED IT. 16:53: PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS THE RING LEADER OF IT. I HEARD THAT IN JAIL. WHEN THE KIDS CAME DOWN TO THE HOUSE, I HAD NO CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY DID. HE ALWAYS SAID I'VE GOT IT MOMMA, YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL THEM NOTHING. I'D GO WALKING AND GO TO NEIGHBORS WITH GIRLS. ADRIENNE GOT HER FIRST SUNBURN AT NEIGHBORS. 16:54: ADRIENNE HADN'T HAD A TIME TO LIVE. ME AND ADRIENNE WOULD DO YARD WORK IN JACKSON, TN TOGETHER WHEN WE LIVED THERE. EARNED EXTRA MONEY CUTTING YARD. 16:55: I CAN STILL SEE HER..THE LAST TIME I SEEN HER ALIVE WAS, THEY WERE LEAVING THE YARD GOING BACK TO HARDEMAN COUNTY FROM THE HOUSE AND SHE WAS HOLLERING OUT THE BACK WINDOW, I LOVE YOU THELMA. I SAID, I LOVE YOU JUNEBUG. (CRYING). I'LL NEVER GET TO SEE HER AGAIN. 16:56: ADAM TOLD ME, WELL, YOU CAN BE A GRANDMOTHER TO ALEX BUT NOT THE REST. I SAID, I CAN'T DO THAT. I CAN'T DO THAT. I LOVED EVERY ONE OF THEM.

5 WE'D GO TO MALL IN TUPELO 16:57: JOANN TOLD HIM ALEX COULD BE HIS, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. I DONT KNOW IF SHE DID OR DIDN'T. 16:57: I'M JUST GLAD HE WASN'T THE FATHER OF ANY OF THEM. I'M GLAD. ALL I'VE HEARD IS HE WASN'T THE DADDY OF NONE OF THEM. 16:58: WHENEVER I FIRST MET JOANN, IT WAS ABOUT 1975 OR 77 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT...NO 85. ADRIENNE, FIRST TIME I EVER SEEN HER, SHE WAS ABOUT 15 MONTHS OLD WITH THE BIGGEST COTTON HEAD OF HAIR YOU EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE. ADAM WAS FRIENDS WITH JOANN'S FIRST HUSBAND MARK JOHNSON JOANN AND MARK WERE HAVING PROBLEMS AND HE ASKED IF SHE WANTED TO COME UP THERE AND STAY TILL THEY WORKED THEM OUT. JOANN STAYED WITH ADAM FOR 3 WEEKS 17:00: ADAM WAS GOING BY THIS THING, HER TOES WERE LONG LIKE HIS. SHE DIDN'T LIKE THE SAME FOODS HE DIDN'T LIKE. 17:00: (JUSTIN ASKING DO YOU THNK ADAM EVER HAD SEX WITH ADRIANNE OR JOANN?) NOT THAT I KNOW. HE HAD TO HAVE HAD WITH JOANN IF HE THOUGHT, AND SHE THOUGHT ALEX COULD BE HIS. 17:00: I FOUND OUT I DIDN'T KNOW ADAM AT ALL. I'VE TRIED TO FIGURE IT OUT AND MY COUNSELOR SAYS DON T TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T DO NOTHING. 17:01: HE'D HIT ME EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE BUT HE WOULD BEAT ON HER (TERESA). ALEX AND THEM WOULD GET THE NERF BASEBALL BAT AND HE WOULD LET THEM HIT ON TERESA WITH IT AND ALEX BROKE IT ON HER. YOU KNOW IT'S GOT METAL ON THE INSIDE OF IT. 17:02: IT WASN'T IN GOD'S PLAN FOR ME TO BE DEAD. THIS IS WHAT EVERYBODY IS TELLING ME IS ME TIME BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS IDENTIFIED AS ADAM'S MOTHER. I NEVER WAS MARY. 17:02: I'VE ASKED THEM AND SAID I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE ANYBODY BUT HIS MOTHER. 17:03: I'M LEARNING TO BE ME. I'M GETTING A GED IF MR. BISHOP DON'T GIVE UP ON ME. I HATE MATH. I'VE ALWAYS HATED MATH. 17:03: I DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID AND PEOPLE HERE AND IN HARDEMAN COUNTY JAIL...THERE WERE SO MANY LADIES AND GIRLS COME AND THEY STILL WRITE ME THAT I WAS AN INSPIRATION TO THEM. IF I CAN GET OUT OF THAT KIND OF SITUATION, THEY CAN. 17:04: I KNOW IT SOUNDS FUNNY TO BE AFRAID OF YOUR SON, BUT I WAS AFRAID OF HIM. 17:04: WHENEVER THE GIRLS WERE OVER AT THE TRAILER HE HAD IN PONTOTOC, HE HAD THEM OVER THERE AND WHENEVER HE GOT READY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS THING WAS...HE CAME TO THE HOUSE AND SAID, GO GET THEM. HE PUT HIS OLD TOOLBOX ON HIS LITTLE RED TRUCK AND HE PUT A BLANKET IN THERE AND I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY BUT HE SAYS, YOU GO GET THEM. DON T STOP NOWHERE BETWEEN HERE AND THERE AND DON'T MAKE NO PHONE CALLS.

6 17:05: I WENT OVER THERE AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND THEY CAME TO THE DOOR. THERE WASN'T NO WATER, NO ELECTRICITY AND I SAID ADAM SAYS Y'ALL KNOW WHAT TO DO AND THEY SAYS YES MA'AM. THEY GOT IN THE TOOLBOX AND LET THE LID DOWN. AND I DIDN'T STOP BETWEEN WHERE THEY WERE AT. THEY SAID WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE THEM TO POLICE. I DIDN'T KNOW JOHNNY WASN'T GONNA BE DEAD WHEN I GOT TO THE HOUSE. AT THAT POINT, I DIDN'T KNOW JOANN AND ADRIENNE WERE IN THE BACKYARD DEAD 17:05: HE HAD ANOTHER IDENTITY, HAD HIS OTHER IDENTITY MAPPED OUT. HE WAS GOING TO BE CHRISTOPH WILSON, OR WILLIAMS...SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S ALL I CAN REMEMBER. 17:06: I'M JUST GLAD ALEX AND KYLIYAH ARE ALL RIGHT. I PRAY THEY CAN GET OVER IT. BUT IT HAD TO BE TOUGH, HAD TO BE. 17:06: I WANTED THEM TO GET INSIDE BECAUSE I WAS TAKING THEM WHERE ADAM WAS AT. SO WHY WOULD THEY GET IN THE TOOLBOX. HE TOLD ME DONT YOU STOP NOWHERE. HE SAID, YOU'RE BEING FOLLOWED. I DON'T KNOW I WASN'T FOLLOWED. 17:07: HE HAD A DUFFLE BAG AND STUFF IN IT AND HE THROWED IT ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND HE SAID, MOMMA, LET'S GO. I SAID, WHERE? HE SAID, YOU DRIVE AND I'LL TELL YOU WHERE TO GO. DROVE UP TO ZION HILL CHURCH ROAD. WHERE LOTS OF ADAMS FRIENDS HUNG OUT. DIRT ROAD WHERE GUYS GO DRINKING AND 4-WHEELING FIRST TIME ADAM LET MARY DRIVE TRUCK. WHEN GIRLS WERE IN TOOLBOX, FIRST TIME I EVER HAD TIME ALONE 17:08: I PULLED OVER, HE SAYS, DON'T GET OUT. HE TAPPED ON THE TOOLBOX AND ALEX AND KYLIYAH JUMPED OUT AND TOOK OFF. 17:08: I FELT SO WEIRD BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE WAS ACTING. I SAID, IF SOMETHING S BOTHERING YOU, LET ME KNOW. HE SAID, IT S A NEED TO KNOW MOMMA. THIS WAS EARLY IN AM. MARY HAD DOCTS APPOINTMENT. SHE LEFT 17:09: I LOST MY SON, I LOST ADRIENNE, I LOST JOANN, I LOST MY FAMILY, WHOLE FAMILY. DONT KNOW WHAT I'D TELL ADAM TODAY 17:10: THE POLICE SAID IF YOU'D BEEN OVER THERE, HE WOULDA SHOT YOU. 17:10: THAT I MISS HER AND I LOVE HER. I LOVED THE OTHER TWO BUT JUNEBUG WAS MINE. SHE WAS MY FAVORITE (CRYING). I LOVED HER. 17:11: HE WAS TEACHING KYLIYAH TO BE JUST...I THINK HE WANTED THEM TO BE. THEY WOULD TELL GARY AND THEM THAT THEY WERE ONE PLACE WHEN THEY WASN'T. THEY'D BE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE HOUSE AND THEY'D BE AT THE MALL. GARY BAIN USED TO BE MY SON IN LAW. USED TO BE MARRIED TO PAM, DAUGHTER

7 HAVEN'T SEEN GARY IN YEARS. 17:12: I'M GONNA GET MY GED. I'M GONNA TAKE EVERY CLASS I CAN. I DONT HAVE ANY WRITE UPS. :39 - I'M GONNA BEAT THIS. ADAM MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA WIN. HE'S NOT. I'M FREE OF HIM. AND YOU KNOW HOW GOOD THAT MAKES ME FEEL? I'M NOT SCARED ANYMORE. PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. THEY DONT JUDGE ME AND I DONT' JUDGE THEM. 17:13: WHENEVER I GET OUTTA HERE, I DIDN'T SAY IF I GOT OUTTA HERE, I SAID WHEN. I'M GOING TO PICK MY HUSBAND UP AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO TEXAS WITH MY SISTER. SHE'S GOT A HOUSE OUT THERE FOR US. 1714: I COULDN'T LET SOMETHING HAPPEN TO ME BECAUSE I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF JOHNNY. DON'T NOW HOW JOANN AND ADRIENNE WERE KILLED 17:15: IF ANY OF MY FAMILY SEES THIS, CAN I TELL THEM I LOVE THEM. AND I'M NOT GIVING UP SO DON'T Y'ALL GIVE UP. EVERYBODY SAYS THEY'RE NOT GIVING UP ON ME. 17:15: I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO LIVE WHEN I GET OUTTA HERE. I CAN GO, DO WHAT I WANT TO DO, TRY TO FIGURE MATH OUT BUT I STILL THINK THA'TS A LOSING BATTLE. ORIGINALLY FROM SOUTH CAROLINA - CHESNEY, SC 17:16: I DIDNT HAVE ANY CHOICE OF WHERE I MOVED. IF ANY OF MY FAMILY FOUND OUT WHERE I WAS AT, WE MOVED.