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Teen, 18, Jailed 50 Years For Sh_ooting His Dad’s Fiancée Because They Got Engaged Just 11 Months After His Mom Died
He’s denied youthful offender status despite having no criminal record.
Ross McFarland entered a guilty plea in the murder of teacher Martha Jones Marti White on October 17, 2019, in Auburn, Alabama. He was aged 16 when the killing happened due to his harbored animosity towards the 66-Year-Old who got engaged to his father, Dr. John, eleven months after his biological mom passed away.
Police in the city of Auburn at the time responded to a home and found White dead on the floor with a gunshot injury to her face.
As authorities in Lee County investigated the case, they found a 40 caliber handgun from Smith & Wesson missing from Dr. McFarland’s home. But they eventually found a witness who was a close friend of Ross, who confessed they saw the now 18-Year-Old shoot White, a mother-of-two and grandmother of five when she turned her head to look away.
The witness also shared with News 19 that Ross picked up the bullet’s shell casing and fled.
Her daughter Elizabeth Chaisson has since released a statement: “Today, we moved closer to obtaining justice for our dear mother, Marti White. She was a faithful and committed servant to ALL the children in her life, from her countless numbers of young students to her beloved family, children, and precious grandchildren. She dedicated her life to loving and showing compassion to those who needed it most. To the end of her life, she sacrificed herself to help children in need.”
She added: “While we know this is a step towards earthly justice, we will never know true peace and justice until we meet again.”
So far, investigators have revealed Ross admitted to fantasizing about killing people in his community, including children, in a statement after his arrest. While he has been sentenced to 50 years in prison, the teen was denied youthful offender status despite having no prior criminal record. However, John McFarland, a medical doctor at Lee County Sheriff’s Office, has since remarried a retiree called Kathy Timberlake.
John’s ex-wife Donna McFarland was a scientist who died in November 2018, aged 45. She was a microbiology graduate and had children, Ross, Avery, and Samuel.
