Molly Jane Roe is a killer from Tennessee who was convicted of a horrific crime of the sexual assault and murder of a seventeen month old infant Maleeya Murley
According to court documents Molly Jane Roe who was nineteen years old at the time of the murder would sexually assault seventeen month old Maleeya Murley before slamming the infant on a table which resulted in injuries causing Maleeya Murley death
Molly Jane Roe would be arrested, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to sixty years in prison
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| Supervision Status: | INCARCERATED | Assigned Location: | DEBRA K. JOHNSON REHABILITATION CENTER |
| Combined Sentence(s) Length: | 60 YRS 0 MTHS 0 DAYS | Supervision/Custody Level: | MINIMUM RESTRICTED |
| Sentence Begin Date: | 06/09/2011 | Sentence End Date: | 06/17/2065 |
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Molly Jane Roe Case
A 17-month-old baby girl’s brutal death is being blamed on her father’s girlfriend, who police believe also ruthlessly raped the child.
Little Maleeya Marie Murley died after suffering a severe brain injury last week in the town of Bells, in western Tennessee, according to The Jackson Sun.
Police believe the fatal impact occurred when Molly Jane Roe threw the baby, causing her to hit her head, court documents said. She was flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, but died on Saturday.
The 24-year-old was initially arrested for aggravated child abuse, but the charges were elevated to first-degree murder after the baby died.
In addition to murder, Roe also faces a charge of aggravated rape of a child.
An examination of Murley after she was hospitalized revealed bruising to her vaginal area, right hip and left side of her stomach, as well as a bite mark on her back, court documents revealed, according to The Jackson Sun.
Police don’t believe the child’s father, Phillip Murley Jr., was involved in his daughter’s death. The abuse is believed to have taken place at Roe’s father’s home.
“It’s sad that something like this could happen to a child,” Terry Patterson, a Bells resident, told The Jackson Sun. “Folks around here really seem to care. It’s a shock.”
Roe is being held without bond.
Molly Jane Roe News
The murder trial for Molly Jane Roe was supposed to start Wednesday morning in Crockett County, but instead, Roe pleaded guilty to first degree murder. This was one of the biggest cases the city of Bells has ever seen.
Bells Police Chief Roger Jenkins said it is one of only two murders they have investigated in the past 20 years, and mentally it is one of the hardest cases he has worked on. “I don’t know how I would handle something like that,” Chief Jenkins said. “As a law enforcement officer, if I had to handle another case like that, I think it would be time for me to retire.”
On Wednesday, Roe pleaded guilty to killing her boyfriend’s 17-month-old daughter, Maleeya Murley, back in June 2011. Police said Roe raped and beat Maleeya, allegedly throwing the infant onto a table – hard enough that she later died from her injuries. “Vanderbilt (Hospital) said that was one of the worst child abuse cases that they had had,” Jenkins said.
Police said Maleeya was abused inside a home on Greatest Cove in Bells, and officers went to see her in the hospital later that night. Chief Jenkins said seeing her in that condition was a terrible feeling. “Most of my grandkids are little girls, and Maleeya’s a little girl, and she kind’ve resembled some of my grandchildren,” he said.
Many residents told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News they believe Roe got what she deserved. “I feel so sorry for the family,” said Crockett County resident Sammie Epperson. “And her, you can’t feel sorry for something like that.” “That’s a 17-month-old baby,” said Haywood County resident Shantell Miller. “You know, the baby’s life hadn’t even started yet.”
Chief Jenkins said he is thrilled the case is behind him, and glad justice has been served. Neither Roe’s, nor Murley’s family could be reached for comment. Roe’s sentence is life with parole, which means the 25-year-old must serve at least 51 years until she is eligible for parole