Her head wound has soaked into the green and white pillow her head is resting onher blood is contained to that one stain and a few nearby drops. 11Alive reached out to the GBI and Officer Matthew Boynton, however, neither returned our phone calls. "It doesn't sound like anything I would say," said Jessica Boynton. Just minutes after Jessica is airlifted to an Atlanta trauma center, Sheriff Beam asks deputies to deliver the devastating news to Jessica's family that she's dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Then, a moment of hope from the 19-year-old mother: She's still breathing. She thinks he found it before the incident. "He believed that the shots he heard fired were fired from his duty weapon," said Sheila Mathews, publisher of The Grip. ! his girlfriend texts him. Does Jessica know whether the cops ever swabbed her hands? VIDEO: Did a police officer stage his wife's suicide attempt? I don't know if it's just his job or what, but like I said I don't think he would intentionally hurt me.. The GBI is a joke as well Bring the little ones for a story every Saturday morning at 11 a.m. to hear Sam's favorite tales. They wanted me to come back Friday for orientation for the job, she said. Jessica was still in a coma with a traumatic brain injurytubes stemming from her brain to alleviate pressure and fluid. His phone was left inside their apt, yet he says he never entered it.. so many lies the grandfather called Jessicas family and informed them she was DEAD! But asking those questions resulted in a threat. (South Florida Sun Sentinel/TNS) Get him downstairs. 'Trigger' Griffin Police officer arrested | 11alive.com That bullet ends up toward the top left of the closet. But he's also texting her before he called 911," said Sanders. After you got on the radio and you were outside communicating on the radio, you never went back in to actually check, check on the kids, the agent questions Matthew about once he's out of the apartment. Any weapons inside the house? the dispatcher inquires. The neighbor claims she had been with Jessica just hours beforehand, and says her friend would never have tried to take her own life. I'll be there in about two. Then he drops a shocker, claiming he wasn't the only one cheating, "She finally told me, she said 'Yeah, I had an affair,'" Matthew Boynton says in the GBI interview. The shooting occurred on the evening of April 14, 2016. It was actually from him. Her marriage had been crumbling, and she and her husband of six months Matthew Boynton, 20 . Then he hits investigators with a jaw-dropper. Her limp body is on the floor, just behind the door. "Well listen, if you're going to start quoting, you gonna start recording these things, you need to let me know ahead of time before you do, before I'm starting answering questions," DeMarco ordered the reporter. I do not have any other items of Jessicas.. Jessica and Matthew's neighbor, who wishes to remain anonymous for her own safety, sees the lights from her apartment and runs outside. Am I recording it? Cops do find one bullet. "He does report an incident that would be considered domestic violence, that she was poking him in the chest with her finger," said Sheila Mathews. Jessica was a blushing bride, excited to spend the rest of her life with the man she loved. When asked if Boynton had explained why he allegedly kept his ex-wifes belongings, Yates said, No. "I know for a fact that Jessica was not suicidal," said the neighbor. the GBI agent posed a return question. GRIFFIN, Georgia, April 15, 2016: Police are breathlessly racing to save a life. Domestic violence has always been a precursor to violence in other areas. Furthermore, he said, it's his observation that self-inflicted gunshot wounds are very unusual among women. Her husband is cheating on her with another woman, reveals Browning, who said, they called dispatch a few nights earlier because he took the kids. I finally had the evidence that I needed that Matthew was cheating on me. Jones removes the gun, which has a tactical flashlight attached to the bottom of its barrel, and places it on the kitchen counter and heads outside. I don't know why. Man that young girl deserves justice, it really smells like the cop snapped and tried to kill her, especially during the night of interview when he starts talking fast and over explaining his actions like I didnt even wash my hands. I'm prior military so to me it sounded like a gunshot, he tells DeMarco. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. That's the bottom line for me. "He said 'What's wrong? "According to my interview with Griffin police chief, that second shot had to have been fired while the gun was either on the floor or almost on the floor very close to that wall.". Immediately following that flip, Mathews said, DeMarco asked if she was recording their conversation. There was a question of what was and was not community marital property, so that took some doing to sort that out, also, Yates said, adding that many of the items reported as stolen including the clothing, computer and household items had been cited as community property during the couples divorce. A lot, she said, doesnt add up, especially since, she said, she had reason to live. He says she started poking him in the chest with her finger, telling him that he had to admit there was another woman. Above Jessica, pinned to the wall, is a large black letter B for Boynton. Officer Boynton was responding to an accident, and when he returned to his cruiser, we were waiting, armed with questions. This couldn't happen man. The one seen in the police body-cam is not the same gray sweatshirt he was wearing at Walmart earlier that night. He also reported hearing two gunshots and. She told me she loved me right before she did it," Matthew says, sobbing, as the paramedics roll her gurney into the ambulance and slam the doors shut. Boynton was released from the Spalding County Jail Friday night on a $4,806 cash bond. Two shots have been fired from her husbands service weapon. "To help cover his tracks.". He grabs his police radio, stationed and charging on top of the white microwave in the kitchen, and leaves his phone on the counter. What you have from a close range press contact wound is high-velocity blood spatter, which is very small, and it might not be very visible with the naked eye, or easily visible from photographs. Here's where things get blurry. Her blond hair is now red from what cops assume is a self-inflicted gunshot wound. What did Matthew do that he needed covering up? "I left the location, I'm back en route, I'm on Carver Road right now. Do you think Matthew did something? he asked her bluntly. Security camera captures the family walking in around 10:15 p.m. By the time Jessica was twenty, she'd had enough of Matthew, and their crumbling marriage had driven her to a dark place. It seems both Matthew and Jessica were secretly stockpiling ammunition for a bitter custody fight. With his gun raised and arms poised, he holds his weapon out in front of him with both hands. No it wasn't. Matthew, a police officer in a small town called Griffin, in Georgia, rushed home. Who shot Jessica Boynton? A new podcast investigates - KHOU That's the last thing the 19-year-old remembers. "The neighbors [said] somewhere around 11 p.m., and he is the only one who hears the gunshots at 1 a.m., and he calls it in," said Sanders. The neighbor says Jessica started documenting all the sordid details of the affair in her secret red "divorce diary." She would never have done this. Video shot outside in the parking lot shows Jessica getting in a black truck with Matthew and the kids, then leaving. A message to Matthew's phone is received and marked as read, from his mistress. Officer Adam Trammel reports to a non-emergency call from the Boynton residence at Ashford Place on Ashford Way, in Griffin, Ga. GSW, possible to the head. Both Jessica and Matthew reportedly want a divorce. ", Following that phone call, Mathews, perceiving that she was threatened, called the GBIs director of professional standards to file a formal complaint and to gain clarity about what he meant by, Were gonna have a problem.. She told me to take care of the boys, so I'm trying to hurry up and get back home just to make sure nothing is going to happen to them. Donald Britt, Lt. Darrell Dix, Lt. Keys and Beam are also present. A text message is sent to his phone from Jessicas phone. After establishing her retainer was not community property, Boynton was arrested on two felonies false statements and writings and violation of his oath of office. I was looking for a job and I finally found one. My kids are at home with her, so I'm trying to hurry up and get back there., I'm driving. Who shot Jessica Boynton? A new podcast investigates | wusa9.com A DISGRACE! And they said yes. The doctor said the second most striking observation while assessing Jessica was that neither of her hands had any evidence of gunpowder. It's possible, but I mean it's very doubtful, because he's never hurt me before. 11Alive reached out to Officer Matthew Boynton, however, phone calls were not returned. Thats what took so long to get it sorted out.. At the time of the shooting Jessica was looking to make a new start for herself and two young sons. But here's the thing that has everyone shaking their heads: In the bureau's final report, dated months after Jessica was released from the hospital, they still declare Jessica dead. I love you and the boys.". This is who he's sleeping with, points to the Facebook post that she says she was holding for Jessica for her divorce. Running across the parking lot and up the stairs, responding officers, Keys, Jones and Gresham head toward the apartment. Family and friends believe, in fact, they were married far too young. Just one minute later, Matthewcalls 911, reaching Spalding County dispatch. If that's what you want to do. "My wound was on the top of my head. He hears a baby crying as he carefully steps into the bedroom where a dark brown crib is situated. But someone else did. Do you know what she used? asks one of the emergency responders in the room. It entered at an upward leftward trajectory angle," said Sheila Mathews. 478-993-3053. Matt shouldnt be allowed to ever be a cop anywhere else. Her shoulder-length, blonde hair is saturated in red. Matthew sends another text to his girlfriend, a Spalding County dispatcher, Give me a few. "I believe I just heard a shot fired coming from my residence. They're re slit open while her head flops from side to side on the beige carpet, as one female EMS works on her. We had to establish a timeline for when that property was possessed before the marriage or after it. She grabs his arm with her left hand, while her other arm falls to the ground. No bullet fragments were recovered from her head. Matthew's mistress worked as a dispatch officer, reporting to Sheriff Wendell Beam, who just happens to be Matthew Boynton's grandfather. I dont have the authority under our charter to hire or fire; it has to go to the city manager, so when you move toward a termination, it has to go through a process. "She's like, 'This is exactly what I need to get my divorce from him.'". A lot of times, what happens, especially if theyre involved in something very serious, they throw in the towel before it can go through the citys process of termination.. BROTHERHOOD does not mean coverup or being above the law. "I left the location, I'm back en route, I'm on Carver Road right now. "Be advised I smell gunsmoke, and I can't get an answer to the door," Boynton says on the call. This time for a DNA consent. Boyntons statement, dated Jan. 9, said, I was advised to complete a statement on a previous date by Lt. Yancey. They're saying it was self-inflicted, she said. "Nobody would shoot themselves like this," said retired homicide detective Tim Miley. She also stated that she just wanted her things back, so I informed her that I would do a report on the incident.. The ambulance pulls away with Jessica in critical condition, to the fire station located on Carver Road, where the medical helicopter picks her up and takes her to an Atlanta hospital. "He stated that he was too frightened. "There was no testing done on his clothing," said Sheila Mathews. I finally had the evidence that I needed that Matthew was cheating on me. She says there were pages missing. The agent who told Mathews, Were gonna have a problem, apologized to the reporter and told her that he was answering questions about a case file that he had not reviewed for months. Griffin Police officer Matthew Boynton was cleared in his wife's shooting, but his interrogation still cost him his job. A key piece of evidence was photographed inside the kitchen after officers arrived on the scene. Matthew, grandson of then-sheriff of Spalding County, texts a fellow Griffin Police officer. They were calling me the miracle child Because what I went through, not a lot of people survive through it, she told 11Alive's Brendan Keefe, nearly six months after the incidenther golden blonde hair now growing back. One of about 70 messages they exchange throughout the night. Jones passes by a framed portrait hung on the wall. "Matthew. Her body is on the floor, just behind the door. Shortly afterward, Matthew begins texting Jessica about going to Walmart to pick up baby formula. In response to 11Alives questions about the case, the GBI said, We are confident in the investigation that was conducted., RELATED: Jessica Boynton says she's free as a bird', MORE | Watch the Facebook Live with Brendan Keefe. Published: 7/28/2017 6:16:14 PM. Furthermore, she said, there were too many errors and discrepancies for her to have sent a text like that. "Recently she did confirm that the second baby is not mine," Matthew tells the GBI investigator. Jessica Boynton was just 19 years old when she was found inside a locked closet with a gunshot wound to her head. Matthew Boynton interrogation video with Griffin Police Department. Its one of their owna police-issued .40-caliber Glock. He assigns another officer to standby at the door until the rest of the apartment is cleared. A bunch of CLOWNS!! Haha I'm sorry I didn't think about that lol he sends to her after receiving a text from her--moments following his text from his wife. A grandson of the county sheriff, a career in law enforcement was in his genes. Stay outside.. Just days after running into Officer Boynton, I received a threatening email that reads in part: "Are You An Intelligent Enough Investigative Journalist To Know When You Are Being Conned or Do You Have To Be Spoon Fed? This screams cover up. "I don't want to put all the blame on him but he's the only person that could have done it," said Jessica Boynton. I believe I just heard a shot fired coming from my residence. "She logged on to his Facebook, we got his Facebook messages and printed them out and started reading the messages between him and the lady from the dispatch," said the unidentified neighbor. Jessica Boynton, once declared dead, is alive and talking. Based on that acknowledgement, The GRIP asked if it would not alleviate legal concerns pertaining to the chain of custody, and furthermore, why Boynton was not also charged with theft. I know that we got into an argument, but that's about all," she said, not remembering much of what had happened on April 15. Does she believe that this was just sloppy work or does she believe that this is a cover-up? The remaining items such as a hope chest, clothing and other miscellaneous items were returned to Jessica. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Join our naturalist on a short walk and learn about the history of the once-prosperous town of High Falls. Agent DeMarco approaches Meagan Browning, who's joined by Eric Kshywonis, at 61 Ashford Waythe apartment just downstairs from Jessica and Matthew. That bastard is so guilty every time they show the door knob and any badge that doesnt know that shouldnt have one. Matthew Boynton allegedly deprived ex-wife Jessica Lester of her belongings and lied to the authorities about doing so, Griffin police Lt. Michael Natale said in a statement. She rebukes the text message that came from her phone to Matthew's that night and said she didn't have a lock on her phone, so anyone could've sent it. Here recently she did confirm that the second baby's not mine. During my stay is when my personal belongings were taken and Matthew Boynton (3842) refuses to give them back, Lester stated. "He never re-entered the apartment after that point," said Sheila. Are you having trouble breathing?'" However, she was NOT shot. I just came up the stairs, two rounds," Boynton says on the recorded call. So just one?" But this wasn't the end of Jessica's story, rather a new beginningbut not the one she was hoping for. Matthew admits to having an affair. She spoke to the GBI, from her hospital bed. Cops now know what was behind that closet door -- but the true mystery is just about to begin. GRIFFIN, Ga. Standing inside her closet, wearing tan slippers adorned with fur, black yoga pants and a red T-shirt, Jessica Boynton contemplates what to wear. Example video title will go here for this video. He reads another text from mistress, while driving home at nearly 90 mph. Chris DeMarco, GBIs assistant special agent in charge, arrives on the scene and meets with Griffin Police Chief Michael Yates for a briefing. Armed with body camera attached to their uniforms, the officers burst through the door, quickly passing Matthews phone, a black and grey Verizon LG smartphone, on the kitchen counter. Im not sure if it was slightly before or slightly after. Keyword: Admitted. What Happened to Jessica Boynton? Grisly Truth Could Have Been Covered Matthew, 20, quickly called 911 and said he had received an alarming text message from his wife, claiming she was going to commit suicide, cops said. The dining room table along with other items were picked up by Cathy Zellner for Jessica. They turn her over from her stomach to her back. The 20-year-old says he's heading to Waffle House for a late night food run with on-duty cop and best friend, Officer Joshua Guthrie--leaving his service weapon at home, in its holster and in the closet. A text messages is sent to his phone from Jessica's phone. The GRIP has reported extensively on seeming inconsistencies and irregularities in that GBI investigation. And that's all I needed, so I was on cloud nine.". What! It's possible, but I mean it's very doubtful, because he's never hurt me before. Still peering down at his phone, Matthew sends a text to his mistress. "The only thing that I can tell you is that Matthew Boynton's account of events are not correct.". The July 29 arrest of former Griffin Police Department Officer Matthew Boynton stemmed from a theft report filed Dec. 19, 2016, by his former wife, Jessica Lester. "He tried to kill her.". Which is very off that this happened, because I never, ever had any thoughts like this before. Still lodged in Jessica's skull? She tells the Georgia Bureau of Investigation the Matthew Boynton is cheating on Jessica with another woman. Still inside, some of the officers look closer and find two bullet holes inside the closet. They had Tollin soon after, and were married on Oct. 24, 2015. Jessica's husband and high school sweetheart is Griffin Police Officer Matthew Boynton. I left a message with the lady that answered for her to call me. If I could have been here sooner, maybe I could have stopped her Matthew says, spiraling. He bangs on the locked closet door. She's like 'I got you where I want you and you're gonna go down for this,' and he pulls his gun out and she runs into the closet to hide, and instead of shooting her, he hits her on the head with a baton," said the neighbor. Sanders says there are a few things that really stand out: The red sweatshirt Matthew offered police to test for gunshot residue. It's like some of my family they hear all these people say, 'Oh I think he did it and it was planned.' I havent listened to the actual investigation, but I dont believe so, that he gave any explanation that made any sense.. I never wanted to hurt myself before, she said, going on to say that she's never handled a gun, nor shot one. Just one minute later, Matthewcalls 911, reaching Spalding County dispatch. Collectively, they examine the bullets' trajectory from the closet, into the bedroom wall and ceiling. Griffin Police Officer Matthew Boynton tells dispatch he has no idea what's happened to his wife or their two young sons. corrupted cops, he and his grandfather! He's a truck driver. "They did not. Once the investigation was closed, reporter and publisher, Sheila Mathews, investigated the shooting for her newspaper, The Grip. And her lawyer was useless I wrote to her years ago. Who shot Jessica Boynton? A new podcast investigates | 11alive.com Its so obvious a coverup. The ceiling fan's light shines down on Jessica's eyes. Like, how hours after the shooting, the phone was put into an evidence bag, sealed and logged into GBI evidence, it was still calling Matthew's girlfriend. What Sanders found most alarming was the time frame Matthew Boynton says he heard those two gunshots. Jessica's theory of what happened centers around her "dirty divorce diary." Her neighbor, who asked us to protect her identity, says she knows the motive: Jessica had uncovered Matthew's dark secret. Credit: GBI/Griffin Police Dept. "It's just inconvenient. "Police department!" Dr. Vernon Henderson, chief of Trauma and Critical Care at Atlanta Medical Center was on-call the morning Jessica came in and treated her for the next month while she was in the hospital. Once the scene is secure, investigator Misty Gresham checks on Tollin, who's sleeping, and Tyler, who is awake and still crying in his cribboth unharmed. "Really somebody just needs to look at it, somebody of great knowledge of things like this, and then let them tell me what they think," said Jessica Boynton. Because she owned the retainer prior to her marriage, it would not be considered community property. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. On Dec. 19, 2016, Lester met with GPD Investigator Dexter McCune regarding property she alleged Boynton had stolen. While Trammel's body cam is out of juice tonight, Jones's bodycam spots Trammel as the other officers enter the apartment. Any weapons inside the house? the dispatcher inquires. When facts are wrong, evidence altered to fit theories and threats made, how does the GBI remain the last word on the case? I wouldn't trade them for anything no matter the situation. In turn Jessica begins keeping a so-called "dirty divorce diary," a red notebook she kept carefully hidden in a closet. I attempted to contact Jessica Boynton via telephone to advise her that this is a civil matter. I didn't bring any other ones with me. We asked retired homicide detective Tim Miley to review Jessica's entire case file and every crime scene photo. Griffin Police officer Matthew Boynton was arrested and taken to the Spalding County Jail on multiple charges. Police Interrogation and Confession of Matthew Boynton, Wife - YouTube Who shot Jessica Boynton? A new podcast investigates | wbir.com Crime Watch Daily's security team tracked the email address, only to find it was from an anonymous server. Shame shame. Griffin cop cleared in wife's shooting charged with making false | Examine the evidence yourself, calls 911, reaching Spalding County dispatch. OR OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. Who shot Jessica Boynton? A new podcast investigates | 13newsnow.com There's little if any visible blood spatter inside the closet. Theres a lot of speculation and a lot of theory, but evidence is not there to cause me to do that., When told The GRIP had received information that the Griffin Police Department had contact the GBI Friday morning prior to Boyntons arrest, and asked the basis of that call, Yates said, That would be just to let them know what were doing.. They wanted me to come back Friday for orientation for the job, she said. He says, he got out of the shower and asked her for his phone back several times, but she refused, he says, until he admitted to her that he was cheating on her. "I'm guessing Matthew," said Jessica. Id be afraid to luve in that town until that poluce brotherhood is abolished. December 20022 so heartless to show this right before Xmas. John Hayesto turn in many articles of womens clothing and other personal property including an orthodontic retainer. And based on the totality of circumstances, all the facts and circumstances, all the forensics, and the conclusion of the case, as well as the GBI's and the district attorney's recommendation, is no, he did not cause her injuries, Yates concluded. nd police notify Jessicas family that she has died. Making his way outside, seconds later, he calls for assistance over his radio. [] of this document: BREAKING NEWS: GPD Officer Matthew Boynton arrested, charged with two feloniesM Matthew Boynton: The evidence and investigation that led to his arrest Matthew Boynton criminal []. Haha I'm sorry I didn't think about that lol, he sends to her after receiving a text from her after his text from Jessica. Her mouth covered with a breathing apparatus and several machines attached to her, in an effort to monitor her condition. This is abuse of power. [I'm] gonna have to kick that door in Jones relays to the other officers standing on the other side of the closet, barreling through it in just two swift and deliberate kicks. Boynton was placed on administrative leave Thursday, July 28, and the Chief said his intent was to terminate the officer, but Boynton resigned before that process could be completed. A lot, she said, doesn't add up. Sheila Mathews publishes The Grip, an independent newspaper in Griffin. "She suspected Matthew was cheating on her and so she dug for information, and we found it," the neighbor said. Yates also said Boynton had provided a statement during the subsequent Internal Affairs investigation, acknowledging the items Sanders turned in were Lesters belongings. She's breathing, but unresponsive. Yeah, if we've got to get the clothes, obviously we'll bring you back up to the apartment for you to get some clothes obviously, says the agent. If someone from the GBI does not reopen this.. well, I have to get my ducks in a row before I open another huge can of worms.. Minutes later, just as Matthew pulls into the Waffle House parking lot, he says he receives a chilling message from Jessica, what he calls a "suicide text," that says: "I can't do this anymore. A Griffin cop finally arrives to take Matthew's formal domestic violence complaint. To text back long story I'll tell you later.. Who shot Jessica Boynton? A new podcast investigates | wwltv.com At the time of the shooting Jessica was looking to make a new start for herself and two young sons. in the head..in hospital for a month..just an FYI. "It's believed that Jessica entered the closet, closed the door, locked it, turned with her back to the door facing the back wall of the closet, that she held the gun to her head, pulled the trigger," said Sheila. After getting Matthew's phone records, Sanders discovers during that same time Matthew was making calls to 911, he was texting his mistress. Matthew Boynton allegedly deprived ex-wife Jessica Lester of her belongings and lied to the authorities about doing so, Griffin police Lt. Michael Natale said in a statement. The subsequent investigation was short-lived, with it having been deemed a civil matter. However, with the later discovery of previously-unknown evidence, it evolved into an Internal Affairs investigation resulting in two felony charges against the former law enforcement officer. She agreed to provide those items to Sanders, who then turned them in to the Griffin Police Department. Yates said, Yes, but that doesnt overcome the civil side of it whether it was or was not marital property, and even if it was, it would have been a misdemeanor as opposed to the two felonies..