On what would have been an ordinary Thursday in the small town of Smithville, Georgia, a mother and her daughter were found dead in their apartment, leaving a community in shock and a family grappling with an immense loss. The victims were identified as 41-year-old Jessica Lynn Hatcher Thompson and her 17-year-old daughter, Julianna Denise Thompson. The discovery was made on March 7, 2024, after the Smithville Police Department responded to a 911 call at their residence in the 100 block of Wells Street.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist with the case, and it was soon determined that both Jessica and Julianna were victims of a double homicide. The quiet neighborhood was suddenly thrust into the center of a major criminal investigation, as law enforcement worked to piece together the events that led to the tragic deaths of the mother and daughter. The community was left on edge, with many wondering who could have committed such a heinous act.
In the weeks that followed, the investigation led authorities to a suspect. On April 9, 2024, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest of 28-year-old Marcus Dontavious Butts of Preston, Georgia. Butts was taken into custody and is being held in the Lee County Jail. He faces a string of serious charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, home invasion, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the double homicide.
As the legal process against Butts begins, the family of Jessica and Julianna are left to mourn their devastating loss. Jessica was a mother of three who was described as a loving individual who lived for her children. Her daughter, Julianna, had recently earned her GED and had aspirations of attending Albany Tech to study phlebotomy, with a long-term goal of working in a school system to help children with mental health issues. The untimely deaths of Jessica and Julianna have left a void in the lives of their loved ones and the Smithville community.
