Ex-nanny's testimony leads to arrest in 2006 murder of Douglas woman
Jon Worrell arrest. Photo provided by GBI
COFFEE COUNTY, Ga. - Nearly two decades after Doris Worrell was shot and killed inside her family’s business in Coffee County, authorities have arrested her husband, Jon Worrell, thanks to a critical breakthrough—his former lover and live-in nanny, Paola Yarberry, has cooperated with investigators.
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What we know:
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) previously announced that Jon Worrell, 58, was arrested at his home in Maryville, Missouri, and charged with Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, and Aggravated Battery in connection with Doris’s 2006 death. He waived extradition and is now booked in the Coffee County Jail.
Doris Worrell. Photo provided by GBI
The investigation began on Sept. 20, 2006, after Doris, then 39, was found shot inside Jon’s Sports Park in Douglas. Initially believed to be a victim of a robbery, suspicions eventually turned toward Jon, particularly after evidence of marital strife and an inappropriate relationship with the family’s nanny surfaced. Authorities say Jon feared losing custody of his children if he divorced Doris, and began plotting her murder.
After the killing, Paola was deported to Venezuela but later reunited with Jon in Costa Rica, where they lived as a couple and raised the children he had shared with Doris. Though two men—Glidden Rodriguez and Brandon Cage—were previously arrested in the case, charges were dropped due to lack of evidence. Glidden has since died.
Jon Worrell arrest in Missouri. Photo provided by GBI.
Recently, investigators learned that Jon and Paola had ended their relationship and that Jon had returned to the U.S. Seizing the opportunity, the GBI traveled to Costa Rica, where Paola ultimately provided critical information. Her cooperation, combined with previously gathered and newly corroborated evidence, enabled investigators to obtain arrest warrants for Jon.
"This case has never been forgotten," said Coffee County Sheriff Fred Cole. "Justice delayed is still justice. Today we honor Doris and her loved ones with this long-awaited breakthrough."
What's next:
The investigation remains active, and authorities encourage anyone with information to contact the GBI or the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. Once the case file is complete, it will be handed over to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
The backstory:
According to reports, Jon claimed he had gone to the hardware store on the day of the murder and discovered his wife's body upon returning. Despite the fact that there were video cameras throughout the sports park, the shooting reportedly took place in an area that did not have surveillance coverage. An 18-year-old immigrant named Paola Yarberry from Venezuela, who was living with the couple at the time of the murder and helping care for their children, was seen on video in another section of the park at the time of the shooting. She was later deported, although officials suspected her of withholding crucial information about the murder.