Bio

Jack Howard Potts was born in 1945. He grew up in a small community in Georgia. He lived in Forsyth County, which is located in northern Georgia. The area is known for its rural environment, and residents often had close-knit relationships.

He had connections in different counties, including Forsyth and Cobb. These regions have varying cultures, from more rural settings to busier suburban areas.

Murder Story

On May 8, 1975, Jack Howard Potts, along with an accomplice, was involved in a crime that led to the murder of Michael Priest. Potts and a woman named Norma Blackwell asked a man named Eugene Robert Snyder for a ride from Forsyth County to Marietta, Georgia. During the ride, Potts shot Snyder in the ear. Snyder, believing he was not seriously injured, asked Potts to take him to a hospital. However, Potts shot him again, this time in the nose.

After dragging Snyder out of the truck, Potts instructed Blackwell and another woman, Donna Glaze, to help clean up the scene. Unable to start the truck, Potts walked to a nearby house where Michael Priest was visiting. He told Priest that there had been an accident and asked for a ride to help the injured man. Priest agreed and drove Potts back to the location where Snyder was lying.

Once they arrived, Priest attempted to assist Snyder, but Potts threatened him at gunpoint. He ordered Priest to drive, and during the trip, he continued to hold the gun on him. Potts eventually stopped the car on a dirt road in Forsyth County and forced Priest out of the vehicle. As Priest pleaded for his life, Potts shot him in the head.

After the murder, Potts and his accomplices stole items from Priest's car, changed its license plates, and fled. Eventually, Potts and Blackwell were arrested after a confrontation with police on a farm in south Georgia. Potts was charged with murder and kidnapping, and he was sentenced to death in March 1976.