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Among the four arrested in Marc Despain's murder-for-hire shooting death in August 2011, his wife Michelle and father-in-law Carl topped the list as the father-daughter duo who masterminded the plot.
Marc, a father and Jonesboro businessman, was found shot twice at his home. Michelle Despain, his wife of many years, was the first to stumble upon the crime scene and call 911. A crucial tip, phone records, and incriminating messages shared between Michelle and her father were used to implcate the two, along with the hired perpetrators Terrance Barker and Johnny Hubbard for the crime.
All four individuals arrested in connection with the murder pleaded guilty to distinct charges and were handed lengthy sentences.
An upcoming episode of ID's Fatal Vows aims to revisit Marc Despain's killing this Thursday, April 20, 2023. The episode, titled The Ties That Bind, is scheduled to air on the channel at 7 pm ET.
Here's the official synopsis for the upcoming episode:
"In Jonesboro, Ark., Michelle and Marc's marriage ends in murder as a result of family ties that snap and break."
Michelle Despain, her father, and two hired hitmen were sentenced in Marc Despain's shooting death
Michelle Despain, a Jonesboro mother and wife of murder victim Marc Despain, pleaded guilty to three counts of hindering apprehension in connection to the latter's August 2011 murder. She entered a negotiated plea deal in April 2014 to avoid capital murder charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison a few months later.
Reports state that Michelle, along with her father Carl Kelley, were accused of conspiring to kill the 34-year-old Marc, who was shot and killed at his home at 4320 Jenni Lane on August 24, 2011. Two hired hitmen, namely Terrance Barker and Johnny Hubbard, were also arrested in connection to the shooting death. The three men also pleaded guilty to separate charges.
Terrance Barker and Carl Kelley both pleaded guilty to their respective first-degree murder charges and were each sentenced to 35 years in prison. Meanwhile, Johnny Hubbard pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension and revocation of probation from a prior drug charge and was sentenced to 18 years with an additional 40 years in prison.
According to phone records, Michelle and her father exchanged messages throughout, including multiple texts on the day of the murder. Most of those texts were deleted that same day. According to Barker's account to the police, Carl Kelley was providing play-by-play instructions to someone throughout the murder. Police claim that his confession was backed by phone records.
A text found on Michelle Despain's phone was initially supposed to be deleted by her but was later used by Jonesboro police to get a break in the case. According to reports, Terrance Barker agreed to testify against any individual charged for being involved in Marc Despain's shooting death.
Michelle and her father allegedly orchestrated the murder-for-hire plot and contacted Hubbard and Barker, promising payment in return for carrying out the murder of Marc Despain. The two planned it for personal reasons, including their intentions to collect insurance proceeds after the victim's death.
According to The Cinemaholic, Michelle Despain was paroled after serving only five years in prison.
Fatal Vows will air with Despain's murder case this Thursday at 7 pm ET.
