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The Murder Tapes' new episode, titled 'For Love or Money', will revisit the gruesome murder cases of Colombus, Ohio residents Leann Potts, Thomas Littler, and Rick Adams. The episode will premiere on October 3, 2023, at 9 pm ET, exclusively on Investigation Discovery.
The official synopsis of the episode, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:
"In separate calls, Chillicothe, Ohio, police officers find three murder victims and another clinging to life; as they investigate these crimes, they discover the victims are related; detectives question suspects, which leads to an unlikely killer."
On the afternoon of February 4, 2019, Rick Adams' girlfriend Tammy's aunt, Doris Jones, visited their rural Ross County mobile home where the pair had resided for four years. Discovering both Tammy and Rick in a pool of blood outside the house itself, Doris immediately called 911. In her call, she said:
"Someone came here and beat these people. They’re about dead. It looks like they tried to murder them."
The same day, a newly married couple, Leann Potts and Thomas Littler were discovered shot at the latter's Bowman Lane residence by their friends. Leann, 46, and Thomas, 63, received a marriage license in January 2019, according to court records. Friends reported that the couple had been planning a Caribbean getaway before their wedding, but had not yet set a definite date.
While the crimes shocked the seemingly quiet community, Ross County Sheriff George W. Lavender Jr. revealed that the two shooting incidents in Liberty Township, east of Chillicothe, were connected. He declined to provide any more information at the time.
It was only the vigilante actions of workers at a nearby fast food restaurant, however, that ensured that the authorities did not have to search for the murderer for very long because he was apprehended the following day. Police said that the quick and shrewd efforts of the Burger King staff ultimately resulted in the capture of the offender.
Leann Potts and Rick Adams were revealed to be biological siblings
On February 5, 2019, the day after the triple murder case, Ross County Sheriff George W. Lavender Jr. revealed in a news release that Leann Potts and Rick Adams were biological siblings.
However, before the police could investigate a potential link between both crimes, it was reported that a man named James A. Reinhart Jr. tried to use one of the victim's credit cards at a Burger King drive-thru.
The name on the card was recognized by the restaurant's cashier as being that of Leann, age 46. The cashier immediately called the police. Later, she remarked in a police interview:
"He wasn’t getting away today even if I had to tackle him. When I walked up front, I looked at the credit card. I said, ‘Oh hell, no, this lady was just murdered.’ I said, ‘Sir, I’m sorry, I have to get your gift card. I’m sorry, I need to get a pen. I’m sorry, I just spilled all your milkshake.'"
James' DNA was found at the crime scene, and surveillance footage from a nearby gas station showed him using Leann Potts's credit cards and phone on February 4, 2019, the day of the killings.
James was allegedly discovered in possession of Leann Potts's credit card, Burger King gift cards, and $1,131 in cash. He was indicted on capital murder charges stemming from three murders, along with 16 felony counts ranging from aggravated murder to kidnapping and r*pe. His murder trial was set to begin in October 2020. However, he entered guilty pleas to three counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder on September 23.
The 16-count indictment's remaining charges, including the repeat violent offender requirements connected to the attempted murder charge, were all withdrawn by the Ross County Prosecutor's Office.
On September 30, James was found guilty on three charges of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and sentenced to 35 years to life in prison. 325 days of jail time were added to his record. The court also mandated that he pay restitution in various sums, including $122 to Haller Funeral Home to settle any outstanding funeral costs.
Because of the money he spent using Leann Potts's credit card on February 4 and 5, 2019, he was forced to give $5,936.75 to her estate. $1,131 that had been confiscated from him during his arrest also had to be paid.
Additionally, on February 5, he spent $1,483 and $894, respectively, at Walmart and Champs Sporting Goods. James, who is now 44, is still a prisoner at the London Correctional Institution in Union Township, Madison County. He will be eligible for his first parole hearing in September 2054, according to his prison records.
The Murder Tapes' new episode, For Love or Money, premieres on Investigation Discovery on October 3, 2023, at 9 pm ET.
