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Teresa Mayfield, a loving mother of three, resided in Moundville, Alabama, with her husband and children. She was described as someone who prioritized her family and her marriage to William Scott Mayfield seemed perfect on the outside. Teresa left to run errands on June 14, 2007, after putting her older daughter Kelci Scott Mayfield in charge of her two sons.
However, after hours passed and their mother didn't return, Kelci grew increasingly anxious about her absence. She called her father, who worked two jobs, but he said that he had no clue where Teresa Mayfield was. When she still couldn't get a hold of her mother, Kelci decided to call her grandmother, Teresa's mother, Reba Joyce Whaley.
Reba took the situation seriously and quickly alerted the police about Teresa's sudden disappearance. Police took over the investigation and set up search parties. They scoured nearby areas with the help of local volunteers. After hours of searching, they found an abandoned GMC Yukon on a small, unnamed dirt road, which was identified as Teresa's car.
However, it was what was inside the car that shocked them. Police found Teresa's lifeless body slumped over in the driver's seat. The rolled-down window suggested that Teresa knew her attacker. An autopsy, conducted later, confirmed she died from a close-range gunshot.
Despite a detailed search, the crime scene yielded no immediate clues to identify a suspect. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Terressa’s husband, William Scott Mayfield, committed the crime.
Teresa Mayfield's murder case was initially shrouded in mystery but eventually led to shocking revelations that sent ripples through the community.
Teresa Mayfield murder case: Details that will leave you dumbfounded
1) The Mysterious Eyewitness
The case began going cold until an eyewitness approached the police with a startling revelation. He claimed that he was on the same dirt road where Teresa's body was found.
The witness claimed a woman in a car had handed him a gun in a zip-loc bag and was on the account of asking him to kill a snake. The woman in the car was later identified as Dawn Lavender, one of Teresa's acquaintances.
Dawn being recognized led to her arrest and a breakthrough in the case.
2) The Husband's Double Life
William Scott Mayfield, Teresa's husband, initially appeared devastated by his wife's death and was not considered a suspect. However, as the investigation progressed, it was discovered that he had been planning to separate from Teresa.
He had even reportedly hired a hitman, Willie Underwood at $15,000 to kill her. He was also involved in an extramarital affair, which only darkened the cloud of suspicion around him.
3) The Failed Murder Attempt
It is worth noting that before Teresa was shot dead, there had been a previous failed attempt to kill his wife. Dawn Lavender had reportedly put crushed Oxycontin pills in Teresa's drink, with the intention of killing her.
However, the pills only made Teresa sick and didn't kill her as was her husband's intention. This failed attempt adds a layer of premeditation and cold-bloodedness to the crime.
4) The Deceptive Funeral
After Teresa's death, William Mayfield reportedly walked around at her funeral, telling people that she had taken her own life. This act of deception not only misled people but also added to Teresa's family's anguish, making it a particularly cruel aspect of the case.
5) The Emotional Toll on the Family
Teresa's mother, Reba Whaley, had to face her daughter's killers in court, an experience she described as the end of four arduous years. She expressed that her life is now divided into "before Teresa was killed" and "after Teresa was killed," highlighting the emotional devastation that the crime has caused the family.
The Teresa Mayfield murder case serves as a grim reminder that appearances can be deceptive, and evil can lurk where least expected. Both William Mayfield and Dawn Lavender are currently serving life sentences, but the scars they have left on the family and the community are indelible.
