On May 20, 2025, police arrested Jon Worrell and charged him with malice murder in the 2006 shooting death of his wife, Doris, at the family’s Sports Park in Douglas, Georgia. Authorities allege Jon had an affair with the family’s former nanny, Paola Yarberry, and later moved the children to Costa Rica. Two suspects arrested in 2008 had their charges dropped; a 2025 interview in Costa Rica produced the tip that led to Jon’s arrest. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial in Coffee County.
19-Year Cold Case Arrest: Husband Charged in Wife’s 2006 Amusement Park Killing
Doris and Jon WorrellCredit: Georgia Bureau of Investigation; Nick Danna
May 20, 2025: Authorities arrested Jon Worrell in Missouri and charged him with malice murder in the 2006 slaying of his wife, Doris Worrell, who was shot to death on Sept. 20, 2006, while working at the family’s Sports Park in Douglas, Georgia.
Paola Yarberry, Amelia, Doris, Patrick, Alexis and Jon Worrell (clockwise from top center)
Case Summary and Allegations
Investigators say Doris, 39 at the time, was killed by a single gunshot to the head while cleaning the amusement and go-kart facility. At the time the death was treated as an apparent robbery, but investigators later developed a theory that Jon was having an affair with the family’s former nanny, Paola Yarberry, and had motives linked to ending the marriage and retaining custody of the couple’s three children.
Jon WorrellCredit: Coffee County Sheriff's Office
Where The Investigation Led
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) says the inquiry expanded over the years. Two men with ties to the park were arrested in 2008 on conspiracy charges, but prosecutors later dropped those counts because of insufficient evidence. Jon and the children relocated to Liberia, Costa Rica, after the killing; Yarberry, a Venezuelan immigrant whom Doris had sheltered as a teenager, later joined them after being deported from the U.S.
Paola YarberryCredit: True Crime
Break In The Cold Case
According to the GBI, a new lead in 2025 and an investigator’s trip to Costa Rica to interview Yarberry produced information that helped identify a suspect. Jon was arrested in Missouri on May 20, 2025, after a reported breakup with Yarberry in 2019 and subsequent moves.
LeAnn TuggleCredit: Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Current Status
Jon Worrell has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial in Coffee County, Georgia. Prosecutors allege he arranged for Doris’ killing; defense lawyers have denied the allegations. Court dates have been set and a trial is expected later this year.
Impact On Family And Community
Neighbors and family members remember Doris as a generous stay-at-home mother and an active member of First Baptist Church in Douglas. Her sister, LeAnn Tuggle, has publicly welcomed the now-adult children into her home and mourned the years Doris was denied with her family. At a recent GBI press conference, Tuggle said:
"You have a home with us. We welcome you with open arms. She missed so much—her children growing up and a lifetime of happiness."
This arrest brings renewed attention to a nearly two-decade-old cold case and highlights how long-running investigations and new leads can lead to prosecution years after a crime.
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