-00:0034:14. I would have written, I cant do this anymore comma. She said she would have put a period after the line about taking care of the boys, rather than letting one sentence run into the next. But the factors that lead to abuse at homecoercion, authoritarianism, a sense of entitlement to violenceare also present in the work that police officers do on the streets. S8-E71 Dena Schlosser. Rachel Aviv Jessica Lester's friends persuaded her to date Matthew Boynton, a boy in the eleventh grade, by saying, "If you don't like him, you can always break up." He was the grandson of the sheriff of Spalding County, where they lived . The showhighlights unsolved and unexplained crime cases often showing compelling evidence and interviews with those tied to the case, such as investigators or witnesses. 1,423 followers. The secretary whom hed slapped in the head was asked to type his resignation letter. Mon - Thurs. Hike also includes a rare chance to tour inside the old powerhouse which provides great photo opportunities of the Towaliga River. When Jessica graduated from high school, her grandparents held a party for her and projected a movie on the side of their barn. Early that morning, Matthew was interviewed by Chris DeMarco, a G.B.I. But the sheriff still loomed large in their relationship. She said, Do me a favor. She wasnt sure how to unlock the safety lever on the holster. Jessica and Matthew started dating in high school and she got pregnant ends up with 2 young children, at a young age. I want you to make sure that Jessica is going to be O.K., because hes going to hurt her.. Murder + Horrific = Murderific. Although police departments have become more attentive to officers use of excessive force against civilians, the same scrutiny has not been applied to their potential for violent behavior at home. By Rachel Aviv. The police asked for assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Matthew is challenging the ruling in court. A male sergeant saw the exchange and told Beam, who provided Gibson with what he called undocumented counselling. Two years later, Gibson slapped a secretary on the back of the head, telling a male officer, Im gonna show you how we take care of these secretaries. Although the secretary complained to Beam about Gibsons behavior, Gibson was never disciplined. At the time of the shooting Jessica was looking to make a new start for herself and two young sons. Haha Im sorry I didnt think about that lol, he wrote. Loneliness is part of the 55 absolute best gifts for. . Her aunt Denise, a public-school teacher, said that, at the wedding, there was just this sadness in her eyes, like, Im done. She had the demeanor of a child who had promised herself not to cause trouble or draw attention to her own feelings. Martha worried that Jessica had lost her feistiness. (She and Callaway, Matthews ex-girlfriend, couldnt be reached for this story. Her aunt Kathy, who lives on the farm, said, With Jessicas family background, there was probably just a feeling of Oh, Ive finally found someone who loves me.. Just before 2 a.m. on April 15th, Wendell Beam asked the sheriff of Pike County to send officers to the house. Lester, Natasha; MacManus, James; MacNeal, Susan Elia; Marra, Anthony; Martin, Madeline; Matzen, Robert D. . Most important to me. According to the order, which Matthew had petitioned the court to issue, probable cause exists that Family Violence has occurred in the past and may occur in the future. Jessica was ordered to have a psychological evaluation. In early May, after three weeks in a coma, Jessica began to regain consciousness. In isolated, poor regions of South Carolina, coming from an lite familyoffereda feeling of impunity. Please tell them I love them everyday. Nothing will prepare you for what happens to this young couple. But a psychiatrist who assessed her for depression apparently saw no need to give her a diagnosis or refer her for treatment. Matthews childhood dream was to work in law enforcementa career inspired by his grandfather, who had helped bring him up following his parents divorce. Sanders said that he no longer goes anywhere unarmed. I hugged her and said, Its going to be O.K. And she said, No, and looked at her husband. (Amy did not want to comment for this article, explaining in an e-mail, I have tried to remain neutral in this very serious situation.). closed its case, concluding that Jessicas wounds were self-inflicted. But there are almost no empirical studies examining the prevalence of this sort of abuse today. He asked me to go get it out before, and I told him, Youre going to have to.. Jacob is gentle and jovial, articulating emotions that Jessica herself struggles to name. jessica lester boynton now. She wouldnt have done that to them. The officers told Dusty she needed to either calm down or leave the property. summary of an interview with King, the neurosurgeon, noted that he called the circumstances of her injury suspicious, but the agent who conducted the interview failed to record the conversation; he hadnt charged his audio recorder. He did not explain why hed earlier sent word that Jessica was dead. 478-993-3053. The inability to pinpoint the source of Gibsons dominanceand of Beams capacity to shield other menseemed only to feed the drama and paranoia. You cant force her into the truck. (Matthew refused to comment for this story.). "It was determined that he knowingly provided a false statement relating to the property in question and his possession of (it)," Natale said in a release.l Center. A second psychiatrist thought she had appropriate mood and affect; appropriate judgment and insight. Her surgeon, Henderson, wrote that she was a very positive person who is embracing the opportunities that a new lease on life afforded her by her recent recovery. He went on, She has a sense of humor and has a gentle and calm personality. A nurse told her shed been in an accident. The GRIP is continuing to work this story and will report additional information as it becomes available. After informing Jessica Lester that her ex-husband, former GPD officer Matthew Boynton, would not be tried on a felony charge of violating his oath of office because the oath could not be located by that same agency, The GRIP obtained a copy through the submission of an Open Records request to Spalding County Magistrate Court, where the oath of office is administered to new GPD officers. What would happen if you were being abused by your spouse and he just happened to be a police officer? That same day, The GRIP made contact with Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker, who said he was unfamiliar with the missing oath or the meeting between Lenhard and Lester. The July 29 arrest of former Griffin Police Department Officer Matthew Boynton stemmed from a theft report filed Dec. 19, 2016, by his former wife, Jessica Lester. Jessica and Matthew moved into a house across the street from the sheriff, Wendell Beam, and his wife. Listen to S6-E54 Jessica Lester And Matthew Boynton and 104 more episodes by Murderific True Crime Podcast, free! That is where her memory ends. Jessica Lester was found unconscious in her Griffin home from what police thought was an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Sought were all email communications, notes, memos, records, reports, text messages and any additional information pertaining to providing the District Attorneys Office with the oath of office of Matthew Boynton, formerly of the Griffin Police Department. Mathews, the publisher of The Grip and its only reporter, submitted an Open Records Act request to the magistrates court, where judges swear in new officers. In an interview with the police, she said that she found him intimidating. Like a car accident? she asked. The Griffin Police Department had not received any complaints about Matthews use of force, but Darrell Dix, a former lieutenant, told me that he and some of his colleagues worried that Matthew had a domineering and one-dimensional approach to his work, which could provoke fights and scuffles. He had not learned that there is a human side of this, too, Dix said.  Her relationship with Matthew is far from perfect and he seems to be pretty controlling. She now works for 6ABC Action News. Two deputies woke Jessicas grandparents and told them that Jessica had committed suicide, using Matthews gun. He spoke about how he gambled with a mythical figure known in the sheriffs office as the Wood Chipper, because, supposedly, he had used such a device to kill a woman. There was a pool there, too.. agent who lived near Spalding County and had worked with Beam on several cases over the years. Here lately I have not been able to recognize the person I see in the mirror. If he has to drive to downtown Griffin, he cleans and vacuums his car, so he can easily see if someone plants drugs or contraband. Martin wrote, Nothing found, to which Yates replied, Thanks., Martin sent two additional messages to Yates. And he said, Its a damn shame she didnt do it right the first time. She added, He doesnt refer to her as, like, human. Willey contacted Jessica on Facebook and warned her that Matthew was not taking good care of the children; they were subsisting, she said, on cheese puffs, Fudge Rounds, corn dogs, and Mountain Dew, and sleeping at odd hours. Wet submarine was released. Please provide the following (Beam refused to talk to me. All rights reserved. ), In a private Facebook message, Willey complained to a friend that Matthews demeanor was emotionless but very authoritative. She had learned about Jessicas shooting after probing stories were published by Sheila Mathews in The Grip, a free newspaper in Spalding County, and aired on the Atlanta television station 11Alive, reported by Brendan Keefe. In this episode, we discuss the toxic relationship between a couple, affairs, abuse, and a police officer who is a suspect in his wife's . Even Gibsons lawyer, Phil Friduss, seemed at a loss to explain whether Gibson had controlled the county, as so many people believed. But now he resorted to a more mundane theory about the culture of power. Willey had seen a copy of Matthews sworn statement in his car, and she was disturbed that he was lying straight to everybodys face, she later told the police. I Grace Garvey. Raisa Habersham is the Intown Atlanta hyperlocal reporter for The Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Only the pillow under her head was bloody. Four of her grandchildren had taken target-shooting classes together, but Jessica had refused to participate. You do whatever you want to do. The lead teacher at the day care where Jessica worked had also found her unnecessarily deferential. Jessica lester started talking to ban violence-glorifying subreddits. ), After several months, a male officer told a captain in Internal Affairs that he didnt understand why Whitehouses complaint had been ignored. After high school, he worked as a jailer at the Pike County sheriffs office before being hired as a patrol officer in Griffin, the largest city in Spalding County. Text messages exchanged by Yates and Martin beginning at 2:35 April 26, pertained to that days search for the missing evidence. ..I asked her if it could be found, would she be able to use it? Lester said. Like seriously, Gibson got away with slapping a secretary on the back of the head!? Jessica and Matthew started dating in high school and she got pregnant ends up with 2 young children, at a young age. They had wiped stuff off the computers, Dix said. what happened to jessica boynton what happened to jessica boynton https://iccleveland.org/wp-content/themes/icc/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 ICC ICC https . In a composition notebook, Jessica documented the times she assumed Matthew had been with his girlfriend, and she jotted down notes for the lawyer. I was trying to figure out when Matthews court case was going before a grand jury, Lester said. Sanders offered Willey a hundred and twenty dollars to sneak into Matthews utility closet and get Jessicas bag. On a hospital-admission form, Jessica was described as a 19 year old reported to have shot herself in the right skull. But Vernon Henderson, a trauma surgeon for more than two decades, who treated Jessica, wrote that her injury did not fit with that description; neither of her hands had any evidence of any gunpowder stippling. And her wound was on the top of her skull, which suggested that she would have had to hold the gun above her head, pointing downwarda very unusual direction in which to point the gun at ones self with the intention of committing suicide, Henderson wrote. What would happen if you were being abused by your spouse and he just happened to be a police officer? Matthew signed a sworn statement promising that he no longer had anything of Jessicas. The chief would eventually like to get his officer back, as well as his service weapon back, DeMarco told Matthew. Nothing will happen to the kid.. by . When Matthew drove his patrol car, he would often take the keys to his truck, a Chevrolet Avalanche, so that Jessica couldnt use it. (The purposes of such a sweeping request were never clear. Hardheaded. She finished her high-school coursework online, and almost never saw her friends or family. Somebody that shoots themself in the head means business. Murder + Horrific = Murderific. Jessica Boynton says she's 'free as a bird' . A few months after the wedding, Denise and Amy went out for lunch. This is a listing of articles Griffin Police Officer Matthew Boynton Cleared In Wifes Shooting But Still Lost His Job easiest After . Intent: The Tex McIver Case. However, with the later discovery of previously-unknown evidence, it evolved into an . At the store, they got into a fight, and when they left Jessica said she didnt want to get into the car. Twice, she later testified, Gibson choked her. Her ex-husband and former Griffin police officer Matthew Boynton . Its always more exaggerated every time. She felt uncomfortable that Matthew told Beam every detail of his life, but that the conversations were all confidential.. Justice for Jessica needs to happen ASAP. Here, 3 Crime Scene Specialists from the Region 10 (Atlanta) Office are processing a vehicle for a local agency." Matthew Boynton allegedly deprived ex-wife Jessica Lester of her belongings and lied to the authorities about doing so, Griffin police Lt. Michael Natale said in a statement. Jail trustiesmodel inmates who did menial jobs at the sheriffs officetold him that theyd spent two weeks destroying paperwork, at the previous administrations instruction. The first read, Im checking with Karen to see if in all her files she has a copy, and the second stated, Karen thinks she put one in the file she is checking (sic).. He would flash his lights and pull her over, and force her to have sex with him. Sanders said, I think the city thought this would be business as usual, until a local reporter and a loser truck driver got involved.. This episode was sponsored by Best Fiends and Scary Time Podcast by Indie Drop-In Network. No further information was forthcoming regarding the missing oath or the potential dismissal that could have resulted had it not been located. This is Jessica Lester's story of survival. As it became clear that Gibsons activities could be criminal, the G.B.I. You know you cant give a sworn statement and lie on it. Crying, Matthew set his body armor, badge, and police radio on the table in front of him, and agreed to resign from the department. Did this license lead Alex Murdaugh to commit fraud after fraudand then kill his wife and son? It was like he was spitting in my face, she said. I think weve got the right to confront and cross-examine anybody thats gonna be offering testimony, Owen said. This is Jessica Lester's story of survival. When I asked about her mother, who lived nearby, she said, mildly, that she had tried to reconnect with her several times over the years, but her mother didnt seem interested. Jessica reported what he said to child-protective services, who helped arrange for the boys to see a child psychologist. In the spring of 2019, child-protective services closed the case and recommended, based on reports submitted by the childrens psychologist, who had seen the boys for twenty-five sessions, that they no longer spend time with Matthew. Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com, The Jolt: Behind the scenes of the Buckhead City defeat, Kirby Smart: No culture problem, no policy change as a result of fatal crash, House panel passes bill to allow inspection of Georgia ballots, OPINION: Fani Willis blasts GOP move to rein in local prosecutors, Class 3A: Semifinal coverage from Fort Valley State, MARTA unveils revised Atlanta expansion plan, Construction Readys CareerEXPO is March 9, 10, Itchin mad about the early pollen in Atlanta? Jessica was still missing her orthodontic retainer. The Citizens Police Data Project, in Chicago, analyzed the records of Chicago cops between 2000 and 2016 and found that officers accused of domestic abuse received fifty per cent more complaints than their colleagues for using excessive force. In many other cities, domestic violence seems to be treated as similarly insignificant. Its just a hobby, he said. In the spring of 2013, when she was sixteen and had dated Matthew for a year, she took her grandparents into the kitchen, closed the door, and told them, apologizing, that she was pregnant. Why did you write the damn statement? a sergeant asked him. While not shocked (having been married to one of them good old boys) I am concerned over the GBI handling (or rather the mishandling) of this case. Whitehouse didnt understand why she was being directed to basically a hiding spot. She recorded the conversation on her phone, so that investigators could look for clues if she disappeared. Jessica thought that Matthew, who was baby-faced but muscular, looked rich; he wore Ralph Lauren boots and collared shirts from Hollister. He had a reputation for being kind and personable but also passive, indecisive, and resistant to change. So Im trying to hurry up and get back home, just to make sure that nothing is going to happen to them., Six minutes later, Matthew reported on his police radio that he had heard two gunshots as he was walking up the stairs to his apartment. Then-Griffin Police officer Matthew Boynton was arrested on July 28, . Neither Matthew nor Jessica had been given a gunpowder-residue test. In all my years in law enforcement, when someone shoots himself in the head its one and done, Jessica Whitehouse, a deputy there at the time, told me. A fence separates their house from an open field, where nine cows and two donkeys graze. Jessica would not touch a gun, she said. At first he lied, but within fifteen minutes he acknowledged that hed known about Jessicas bag all along. For their sons first Christmas, Matthew took Jessica to her grandparents housethe first time shed seen them in monthsbut before she opened her presents he told her that they had to leave. At 15, her friends persuaded her to go out on a date with a boy named Matthew Boynton, and the 2 ended up . This blows my mind.. This is not the first time I have had suicide thoughts. When asked to call, Coker instead emailed, We have received the oath on the Boynton case., Asked again to call to further respond to questions pertaining to the Lenhard-Lester meeting, Coker emailed, When ADA Lenhard met with Jessica Boynton (Lester), my office was not in receipt of the oath of Matthew Boynton. Jessica Lesters friends persuaded her to date Matthew Boynton, a boy in the eleventh grade, by saying, If you dont like him, you can always break up. He was the grandson of the sheriff of Spalding County, where they lived, an hour south of Atlanta, and his friends were football players and cheerleaders. Her relationship with Matthew is Show Crimes & Closets, Ep Jessica Lester and Matthew Boynton - Jul 19, 2021. jessica boynton saved by grace master of arts in art history architectural photographer + light chaser. agents canvassed the apartment complex and discovered that Megan Browning and her fianc and a couple that lived next door to Jessica were the only neighbors who had heard gunshots. View Jessica Boynton results in Georgia (GA) including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. September 30, 2019. looked into the allegations. Matthew met Jessica during her sophomore year of high school at open house in 2012. The next day, Yates texted the D.A. Eric Paul. Matthew Boynton mug shot made available by the Spalding County Jail, After informing Jessica Lester that her ex-husband, former GPD officer Matthew Boynton, would not be tried on a felony charge of violating his oath of office because the oath could not be located by that same agency, The GRIP obtained a copy through the submission of an Open Records request to Spalding County Magistrate Court, where the oath of office is administered to new GPD officers. The GRIP attempted to interview Yates, but little information was provided. The subsequent investigation was short-lived, with it having been deemed a "civil matter.". Both couples said that the shots occurred around 11 p.m.not at 1 a.m., when Matthew had reported them. Ive never, ever wanted to hurt myself before., Do you think Matthew was incapable of doing this?, Honestly, I dont know, she said. Eleven Griffin police officers arrived at the apartment complex. I made sure that I had another party with me, to insure the accusations wouldnt be made, Matthew said later. Everyone said, Beams grandson will get off, she went on. Check out this great listen on Audible.com. The shooting occurred on the evening of April 14, 2016. In July, he was charged with two felonies: making false statements and violating his oath of office. When I asked Jessica why she never left the house when she lived with Matthew, she explained, We lived in an apartment complex with a playground. She believes that she and Matthew must have fought in the closet, and she never made it outside. Something had happened to the mama lions cubs, Kathy said. They have won. We have an individual that is a parent that attempted to take her own life, his lawyer, Lance Owen, told the judge. Unable to obtain further information through the previously agreed upon interview, The GRIP on April 26 submitted Open Records requests to Cokers office and the city of Griffin. The shooting occurred on the evening of April 14, 2016. So there was really no need for me to leave. Jessica told me, Id probably go to jail before Id put the boys back in a situation where Matthew could even think about doing anything to them.. The G.B.I.  Jessica and Matthew started dating in high school and she got pregnant ends up with 2 young children, at a young age.  Nothing will . Jessica Lester Boynton is from Spalding County Georgia, just an hour south of Atlanta. But she felt isolated. Amy fell to pieces, Denise said. Sweet Jesus, reading this has made my head implode. Matthews service gun was under her stomach. Murderific True Crime Podcast. Its like people started covering for this dirtbag and it spiraled out of control and now they are covering for their covering. It was shortly after we concluded the case.. Jessica was a blushing bride, excited to spend . Follow. We have since received it and will respond accordingly.. Delmont, Matthew F . Anybody that went against him would be eliminated. Whitehouse said that Beam seemed concerned, but he said that shed have to write down her complaint. I hope he goes to jail for this shit, she said. . When the men wanted tea, they just shook their glasses.. Jessicas recovery was so swift that people at the hospital called her the miracle child. Although her skull had been fractured, neither bullet had penetrated it. Sheriff Beam can carry a weapon, he said. Martha was initially skeptical when Jessica got involved with another man who assumed the role of protector. She was wearing fluffy slippers. Follow. Jessica Barden (born 1992) Mischa Barton (born 1986) Matthew Beard (born 1989) . Matthew Boynton allegedly deprived ex-wife Jessica Lester of her belongings and lied to the authorities about doing so, Griffin police Lt. Michael Natale said in a statement. In his personnel file there, a supervisor described him as fiercely loyal but stiff and unwilling to bend. Another officer described him as the type who wants to make ten arrests a day if he could. A senior officer privately advised Matthew, Lighten up a little bit, man.. He claimed to have personally insured Beams election. Like, he talks about her as if shes nothing., As Willey was moving out of Matthews house, she again came across the gym bag of Jessicas clothes. The judges are very swayed by their own reactions to each person, Meier said. agents, asking them to investigate how Jessica had been injured there. Wheres my baby? Jessica asked, once her breathing tubes were removed. I already know it wont.. Her relationship with Matthew is far from perfect and he seems to be . I didnt try to brush off anything. sounds like the same ole corrupt police dept its always been either they are covering up for each other or they dont do their jobs all they worry about are drugs dont get me wrong drugs are bad but it seems like if it doesnt involve drugs they are not interested in it my mother and sister were brutally murdered 30 yrs ago and no one has ever been arrested and when we ask about the case all they want to do is ask the same ole questions we have answered over and over thdy wont tell us what has been done to find out they treated us like crap, [] https://the-grip.net/2018/05/15/missing-evidence-jeopardized-felony-case-against-matthew-boynton-for… []. . Soon after, Yates sent to Coker via text message a photograph of Boyntons oath. At the judges recommendation, they also arranged for a psychological evaluation. She became dead seriousId never seen her so serious, Denise said. Sanders deleted his Facebook account, his primary method of communicating with sources and reporting his findings. 00:50:40 - What would happen if you were being abused by your spouse and he just happened to be a police officer? Although the hospital had placed her under constant observation after she was admitted, the precautions were removed after she regained consciousness. On April 15, 2016, in the town of Griffin, Georgia. 2023 Cond Nast. Jessica was neither dead nor shot in the head. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. I was scared to death, because I couldnt find him, that she would shoot me, shoot him, and then kill herself..