Jennifer Womac

Case record: Jennifer Womac

Background

Jennifer Lee Womac was 38 and was charged in a patricide murder case in Meigs County. The case involved the killing of her father, Grady Nichols Jr. Her co-defendant was James Louis “Louie” Landers, 46. Meigs County Sheriff Walter Hickman and TBI investigators led the investigation.

The offence

Jennifer Lee Womac and James Louis “Louie” Landers were alleged to have conspired to kill Womac’s father, Grady Nichols Jr., at Nichols’ home.

Nichols died from a blast from a .410-gauge shotgun. His body was found on the porch of his home when Womac and her stepmother returned home. Investigators determined Landers was a suspect. Investigators found blood on the shotgun tied to Nichols.

In a meeting with Landers, Womac said:

“And the money thing, I may have to filter it to you really slowly, but I promise you that you’ll get every penny,”

A murder warrant alleged that Womac planned the slaying of her father along with Landers, and that she drove Landers to her father’s residence on Brickell Ridge Road near Decatur. After dropping off Landers, she left the scene and returned after her father had been shot dead by Landers.

Investigation

Former Meigs County Sheriff Walter Hickman and TBI investigators began their investigation Sept. 19, 2009.

Landers confessed “to his actions and implicated Womac.” After confessing, Landers cooperated with authorities, and a meeting was set up between the conspirators.

Recorded information revealed a substantial inheritance from the Nichols estate and payment for killing him could be slowly coming.

Arrest

Womac was arrested after she attended the funeral, graveside services and family memorial service for her father on Friday. Womac was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder.

Womac’s arrest followed the arrest earlier in the day of the accused shooter, James L. Landers. Womac and Landers were arrested Sept. 25 by Meigs County sheriff’s deputies.

Grand jury action occurred when the case was sent to the Meigs County grand jury on Thursday. Womac, 36, and James “Louie” Landers, 45, were bound over on charges of first-degree murder in the death of 66-year-old Grady Nichols Jr. Nichols was found shot to death on his back porch on Sept. 19.

The next Meigs County grand jury was scheduled to meet Nov. 23, but cases had not yet been assigned to that date.

Plea and sentencing

Jennifer Womac and James Louis “Louie” Landers pleaded guilty. They were sentenced to 40 years in prison on February 2, 2012.

District Attorney General Russell Johnson stated that Womac and Landers “Both pled down one level to second-degree murder, but they pled out of range, meaning they have much longer than normal sentences. They actually have 40 years to serve in prison,” said Johnson.

Other details

Womac reportedly went shopping with her stepmother while Landers posed as a lost hunter asking for directions. Russell Johnson stated that “Womac dropped Landers off at her father’s, then left to return later to the scene after her father had been shot dead by Landers,” and that “Womac then left the scene to pick Landers up at another location and return him to Athens.”