A Georgia man has been apprehended by authorities for allegedly masterminding the murder of his wife at his sports park nearly two decades ago, before fleeing with the family’s nanny to Costa Rica. Jon Worrell, 58, is now facing charges of malice murder, felony murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and aggravated assault in connection with the death of his wife, Doris Worrell, who was 39 at the time of her death.
The murder took place on September 20, 2006, at Jon’s Sports Park in Douglas, a city in southern Georgia. Initially, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office considered Jon Worrell a bereaved husband, suspecting that his wife was a casualty of a botched robbery or revenge for ejecting a customer from his business.
However, as the investigation unfolded, it became clear that the situation was more complex. Authorities discovered that the Worrells were experiencing marital problems and that Jon was involved in an extramarital affair with the family’s 18-year-old nanny, who had been living with the family for two to three years. Worrell allegedly planned his wife’s murder out of fear of losing custody of their three children, all of whom were under 12 years old at the time, in a potential divorce.
According to law enforcement, Worrell enlisted the help of Glidden Rodriguez and Brandon Cage to carry out the murder. Both men were subsequently arrested for conspiracy to commit murder, but charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence. Rodriguez has since passed away.
Following his wife’s death, Worrell relocated to Florida and later to Costa Rica, where the nanny, who had been deported from the U.S. for withholding crucial information about the murder, joined him. The pair raised Jon and Doris’ children together. However, after their relationship ended, the nanny began cooperating with authorities, providing them with the information needed to arrest Worrell. He was taken into custody at his home in Missouri.
Coffee County Sheriff Fred Cole emphasized that the case had never been forgotten, stating, “Justice delayed is still justice. Today we honor Doris and her loved ones with this long-awaited breakthrough.” The arrest serves as a warning to others who believe they can evade justice, and a beacon of hope for families of victims in other cold cases.
Doris Worrell’s sister, LeAnn Tuggle, expressed her suspicions about her former brother-in-law when he moved his family out of the country without disclosing their location. She hopes her sister will be remembered for her kindness, describing her as “the sweetest person anyone could have known.”
Worrell has waived extradition and is currently being held without bond at the Coffee County Jail.