Betty Wilson twin crime - A detailed case overview

Betty Wilson stands at the center of a 1992 Huntsville, Alabama, homicide. In May 1992, her husband, Dr. Jack Wilson, was found beaten to death inside a rented home. Investigators later examined links between Betty Wilson and her identical twin, Peggy Lowe, while probing an alleged murder-for-hire plot.

The case appears in Season 33, Episode 2 of Snapped. The episode first aired on November 5, 2023, and is scheduled to re-air on August 9, 2025, at 11:00 PM ET.

Coverage of the case grew nationwide, reportedly due to the brutality of the attack and the allegation that both Betty and Peggy were tied to a murder-for-hire scheme. Dr. Wilson was found dead on May 22, 1992. Police reportedly found him on the floor inside the residence with multiple blunt-force injuries to the head and face.

Notably, police found no evidence of a struggle inside the house or broken windows or doors upon entering. There was nothing reported missing that may have contributed to the motive for the act of violence. Investigators discovered that the perpetrator of the act of violence either should have had a key or else was known to Dr. Wilson to be allowed in the home, or encouraged to kill him.

A detailed Betty Wilson case overview

The killer comes forward

While police continued to work on the case, suspicion began to narrow in on James White, who had a long criminal history. White met Betty and Peggy through a teaching program for inmates, and in the months leading up to the murder, he had communicated with both sisters.

When police questioned White, he told them an unsettling story: that Betty Wilson had offered him $5,000 and a used car to kill her husband. According to White, Betty gave him a key to the Wilson residence, and together they went over the basic layout of the place. He alleged she told him when to make his move and told him to choose a time when she would be gone.

He made it to Huntsville from Birmingham the day of the murder, at the time when Dr. Wilson would arrive, entered the house with the key, and waited for him to get home before attacking.

Timeline of Betty Wilson's investigation and sentencing

May 16, 1992, Lake Guntersville State Park. Security staff deliver a library book from Betty Wilson’s BMW to James White at the gate. Phone records place a call from a nearby pay phone on the same night.
May 20, 1992, Logan Martin Dam. Per trial testimony, White meets Betty Wilson and Peggy Lowe. Lowe drops a .38 revolver into White’s truck.
May 21, 1992, Huntsville. White says he meets Wilson at a mall food counter and receives cash. Hotel, store, and call records place him in the area that day.
May 22, 199,2 Dr. Jack Wilson is killed inside the Huntsville home. Police recover a bloody bat and document blunt-force and stab wounds.
May 24 and May 26, 1992, the Police interviewed Betty Wilson.
After the arrest, White is indicted and later testifies.
Verdict: A jury convicts Betty Wilson of capital murder for hire. The court imposes life without parole. Peggy Lowe is tried later and acquitted.
1994–1995 Post-conviction relief is denied in 1994. In 1995, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence.

Building the case

The detectives began to connect White's story. Witnesses placed him in Huntsville on the day of the murder. Items possessed by White could be traced to the Wilson residence. Other people positively reported hearing Betty express disdain towards her marriage and, in some instances, favorable comments about her wishing her husband dead.

The detectives based their investigation on White's witness statements (Image via Pexels)

Although Lowe was charged, the evidence against her was not as strong as the evidence against her sister, Betty. The prosecution claimed both sisters were involved in making the offer to White to commit murder, but it was Betty's home, Betty's husband, and Betty's connection to the key that put Betty in the best position to be successfully prosecuted.

The trial for Betty Wilson

Investigators set to work confirming White's story. Witnesses placed him in Huntsville on the day of the murder. Items linked him to the Wilson residence. Some people indicated they heard Betty complaining about her marriage, and she had said she wished her husband were dead.

The prosecution seemed to rely on a lack of the same counsel's experience among the sisters. The evidence against Peggy Lowe was more circumstantial. The prosecution argued that there was evidence that both sisters came into contact with Whit and made the offer to him, but it was Betty's home, husband, and Betty's tie to the key that anchored the case against her.

Sentencing and aftermath

Betty Wilson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Her twin sister, Peggy Lowe, faced a separate trial for the same charge but received an acquittal and walked free while Betty began serving her time.

Betty Wilson was sentenced to life without parole (Image via Pexels)

The split verdict created years' worth of speculation about how two sisters would have such different outcomes for standing accused of the same crime. But in the actual case files, it was purely a function of the evidence each jury saw and believed.

For Betty Wilson, the jury believed what they saw and found enough evidence to lock her away for life, officially closing one of Huntsville's most horrific murder cases.

Betty Wilson Snapped Episode can be streamed on Oxygen.

Also Read: 5 chilling details about the frozen horror of Cynthia Mudd’s murder

About the author

Preethika Vijayakumar is an Entertainment writer at Sportskeeda with a keen interest in pop culture. Although a law student, her curiosity about the world and passion for writing inspired her to explore and analyze the complex narrative and diverse character arcs that define the daily soaps.

With experience as a legal content writer, Preethika also achieved a notable accomplishment as her work was published in a book about criminology and victimology. As a fellow binge-watcher, Preethika aims to provide insightful analysis based on her firsthand viewing experiences, ensuring accuracy and relevance in her writing.

Outside of professional endeavors, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, and creating ceramics. Her favorite celebrity is Jensen Ackles, and if given the opportunity, Preethika would love to be a part of his show, Supernatural, although she isn’t sure she could last until the end.

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Edited by Bharath S