Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Tragic things happen in this world all the time, but Jessica Chambers resonated with me more than most. I set up a Google alert. Twins and I scoured the internet hoping for a break in the case. After such a long time I had just about given up. Maybe because I am the mother of blonde daughters or maybe due to the absolute brutality of the crime, but her murder will haunt me for a long time. I live in a small rural town in NE Iowa. Fortunately we don't have gang violence, but not having it now doesn't mean never. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to walk down the street and look at every friend and every stranger and even family members and wonder if one of them is responsible for this heinous crime. I have mixed feelings about capital punishment...but they're not so mixed in this case if the evidence to convict is there. Unlike Florida and Texas, Mississippi appears to reserve the death penalty for only the most extreme crimes. To me this was extrema maximum.

Welcome back, Deb! You have been greatly missed.

I wholeheartedly agree with you; Jessica's murder will also haunt me for a long time to come. There is something about Jessica Chambers' murder that grabs the heart with a vice-like grip, and just won't let go. I think my interest in this case is due to the horrific way in which Jessica died. Andrew and Abby Borden were killed in a brutal way, and most likely both of them died with the first or second blow of the hatchet. But Jessica Chambers was killed in a vile manner; she was left alive on Herron Road in Courtland to suffer in the most extremely atrocious way imaginable. Jessica lived for 6 hours and 28 minutes after a motorist had spotted her car on fire, and called for the fire department via 911.

I had also given up hope of the authorities ever indicting someone for her murder. I really thought Jessica’s murder was going to be another unsolved mystery. We were so mislead by the all of the information that was available via the internet and social media sites that I was shocked when I was informed that Quentin Tellis had been indicted for her murder. I would have never, in a million years, have guessed that this guy was even suspected as being involved in Jessica’s murder. His name didn’t come up in any of the information that was available to us. If Quentin Tellis is the actual murderer, then I hope and pray that the authorities have the rock solid physical evidence needed to convict him.

I also have mixed feelings about capital punishment, however in this particular case I think it is more than warranted. The current capital punishment in Mississippi is legal and practiced by lethal injection. ( http://tinyurl.com/hnxymcz ) However, the method of capital punishment in Mississippi may change in the near future. ( http://tinyurl.com/h8z6orp and http://tinyurl.com/jqmwqze ) Unfortunately, there isn't a method of capital punishment that can be compared to, or come anywhere near, the kind of death that Jessica Chambers suffered.

Sources for the 6 hour 28 minutes Jessica is known to have lived after being set on fire:

http://tinyurl.com/zm79jsm

http://tinyurl.com/jq8rezd

http://tinyurl.com/hxyq3mo

http://tinyurl.com/hqbyyra

Exactly why I hate, love and am fascinated by the internet, Twins. I never had a Facebook account until after retirement and then to keep in touch with old friends and colleagues. My amazement never ceases at what people will 'Share' as fact...junk like Facebook is giving $100 to everyone who likes and shares some piece of drivel. Some of the accusations leveled at Jessica's family had to be devastating; the best thing they could have done was to shut off the computer. But turning away from that hate is like turning away from a poisonous snake, too frightening not to keep watch. This site is a rarity in that facts are required to support conjecture.

debbiediablo wrote:... I never had a Facebook account until after retirement and then to keep in touch with old friends and colleagues. My amazement never ceases at what people will 'Share' as fact...junk like Facebook is giving $100 to everyone who likes and shares some piece of drivel.

Are you kidding? $100.00 for drivel? Guess this is just one more reason I can add to the reasons of why I am not on Facebook.

debbiediablo wrote:... Some of the accusations leveled at Jessica's family had to be devastating; the best thing they could have done was to shut off the computer. But turning away from that hate is like turning away from a poisonous snake, too frightening not to keep watch. ...

I totally agree.

debbiediablo wrote:... This site is a rarity in that facts are required to support conjecture.

I agree. I think that having to indicate the sources for the facts that are posted, is the major reason this forum has the best information available to anyone who is interested in the Borden murders. This certainty doesn't mean we are not allowed to post our thoughts, opinions and ideas as long as we indicate that is what we are posting.

That is why I also like this forum. People can give references and you can look into it and sometimes it leads to another fact.

I agree, Nadzieja. It is interesting and fun when we happen to run across some facts that were unknown before.

Google alert for Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/jhy7jhd

New Google alert for Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/hma9wpa

Although I personally don’t put much stock in astrology, I found the following article titled, Astrology in Crime, regarding Jessica Lane Chambers, interesting: http://tinyurl.com/hqbyyra

New Google alert for Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/zqsjm57

Here is the Google alert that came in today: http://tinyurl.com/jncwu72

New Google alert for Quinton Tellis:

A man accused of murder in Mississippi will appear 9 a.m. Monday in 4th Judicial District Court for trial unrelated to the out-of-state case. ... At Monday’s trial, Tellis faces charges of unauthorized use of an access card and possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute. ...

http://tinyurl.com/hcpw5s6

Google alerts for Jessica Chambers:

http://tinyurl.com/zv9q2x7

http://tinyurl.com/zdeud4y

Google alerts for Quinton Tellis:

http://tinyurl.com/zqvradx

http://tinyurl.com/ztzp28p

Google alerts for Jessica Chambers:

Update form yesterday’s alert: http://tinyurl.com/zs6pwyl

http://tinyurl.com/jkbccur

http://tinyurl.com/jphxpnm

Google alert for Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/jmsaprw

Google Alerts for Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/znx97ll and http://tinyurl.com/gts5yb3

Google Alerts for Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/hq7oxwp also http://tinyurl.com/gofnl9n and http://tinyurl.com/z4dhw69

Google Alert - Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/zbr2cxt

WOW, this is happening much sooner than expected!

Google Alerts - Quinton Tellis:

http://tinyurl.com/zbo3mlx

http://tinyurl.com/hgxjkm5

http://tinyurl.com/jxmqru7

http://tinyurl.com/h8h8y2e

From the first link:

"Tellis was indicted by a Panola grand jury in February. He is charged with capital murder in Mississippi and indicted as a habitual offender under state law because of two previous burglary convictions and a felony fleeing conviction."

The newspaper says that he hasn't yet been charged in either death of the young ladies. Then it says he's been charged with capital murder... what gives? I must be missing something.

MysteryReader wrote:From the first link:

"Tellis was indicted by a Panola grand jury in February. He is charged with capital murder in Mississippi and indicted as a habitual offender under state law because of two previous burglary convictions and a felony fleeing conviction."....

Correct.

MysteryReader wrote: ... The newspaper says that he hasn't yet been charged in either death of the young ladies. Then it says he's been charged with capital murder... what gives? I must be missing something.

OK, now I'm confused. I checked through the links I provided, but did not see this in any of them. Would you mind posting the link to the newspaper article that stated this information?

Quinton Tellis pleaded guilty in Monroe, Louisiana, to one count of illegally using the debit/credit card of Meing-Chen Hsaio, who was found stabbed to death in the northeast Louisiana city. However, as far as I know, he was not charged in Meing-Chen Hsaio's death.

Today's Google alert for Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/h76addy

Yesterday's Google Alert for Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/jp8llcp

Today's Google Alert for Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/z74rwkn

Twins:

The first link you posted is the only one I've read (tinyurl.com/zbo3mlx).

But here is what I was referencing: Tellis was indicted by a Panola grand jury in February. He is charged with capital murder in Mississippi and indicted as a habitual offender under state law because of two previous burglary convictions and a felony fleeing conviction.

The newspaper article states that he wasn't charged with murder yet here, it does. Scroll down to just past midway of the article. This is why I said I must have missed something. I'll read the other links you provided.

MysteryReader wrote:... But here is what I was referencing: Tellis was indicted by a Panola grand jury in February. He is charged with capital murder in Mississippi and indicted as a habitual offender under state law because of two previous burglary convictions and a felony fleeing conviction.

The newspaper article states that he wasn't charged with murder yet here, it does. Scroll down to just past midway of the article. This is why I said I must have missed something. I'll read the other links you provided.

Ok, I think you may have missed something here. (Underlining and highlighting are mine in the following sentence.) The bold part of your post states that, ‘He is charged with capital murder in Mississippi' (This would be for the murder of Jessica Chambers.)

Just below the picture of Meing-Chen Hsaio and Jessica Chambers, there is one paragraph, then the following sentence (Underlining and highlighting are mine.):

Tellis was not charged in Hsaio's death, but Monroe police told The Clarion-Ledger they expected that he will be.

Does this help to clarify things?

Twins:

I'll get back to you once I've had some sleep! I know I'm missing something or overlooking something.

Sounds good; sleep well.

Today's Google Alert for Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/ha5ywzg

Todays Google Alert for Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/zy2ggom (Scroll down until you see Tellis’ picture.)

Newest Google Alert for Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/gwc6hzu

Hi! If you're interested in a domestic case of the same vintage, try Jessie M'Lachlan. William Roughead did a great treatment of this Scottish crime. and it is available free on the Online Books Page!

-Lyddie

Lyddie, this is a really interesting case. I had not heard of the Sandyford Murder Case before, so I did some research and found the following web sites:

http://tinyurl.com/zgnkojb

http://tinyurl.com/jcx92cd

http://tinyurl.com/jykht49

I also found the Online Books Page regarding this case, that you mentioned: http://tinyurl.com/jngqqg5

I think you'll really love it, Judy. It's a very frustrating case, but interesting example of one that got away with it.

A couple of others I've enjoyed more recently: "The Mad Sculptor: the Maniac, the Model, and the Murder that Shook the Nation" by Harold Schecter
(a weird story of 30's bohemia) and "Pretty Jane and the Viper of Kidbrooke Lane: a True Story of Victorian Law and Disorder: the First Unsolved Murder of the Victorian Age" by Paul Thomas Murphy.

Thanks for the suggestions, Lyddie. I will have to check these out, as they sound pretty interesting.

Both of these alerts came in late yesterday. According to the video in the alert on Quinton Tellis, the first court date is preliminary set for July 5th!

Google Alert - Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/jjfmwdr

Google Alert - Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/jl4kmaj

Today’s Google Alert - Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/grwe52j

Today’s Google Alert - Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/he6h3wq

Today's Google Alert - Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/hxwqo97

Edited to add...

Today's Google Alert - Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/zej3eb4

I can’t believe it!

The Commercial Appeal reported Saturday that District Attorney John Champion says the July 5 hearing will be delayed over a scheduling conflict. Champion said lawyers for Quinton Tellis could not make the date. He did not have a new date for the hearing.

See more at Google Alert - Quinton Tellis ( The same article came in for Jessica Chambers): http://tinyurl.com/jrghqcu

Today’s Google Alert - Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/gostyxh

I am appalled. This guy is one of the most insensitive guys I have ever come across. Just because his book is fiction does not diminish the pain he is inflicting on Jessica Chamber’s family.

Today’s Google Alert - Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/hy34gfr

Check out the book preview on the Amazon web site (Highlighting and underlining are mine.):

From New York Times-bestselling Southern crime master Ace Atkins comes a gritty, darkly comic tale of greed, violence, and unexpected redemption.

Quinn Colson didn’t owe his home town of Jericho, Mississippi, a damn thing. After serving for more than a decade as a U.S. Army Ranger, he’d returned, been elected sheriff, and tried to make the town and surrounding Tibbehah county a better place. He was rewarded with being voted out of office, and went back to the war zone he’d left.
Now, back in Jericho, trying to fix things with his still-married high school girlfriend and retired Hollywood stuntman father, he’s drawn to becoming a lawman again. This time, he accepts a badge from acting Sheriff Lillie Virgil, a foul-mouthed law woman with shades of Calamity Jane. But what they must confront together is something brand-new.
When a former high school cheerleader is found walking a back road completely engulfed in flames, the entire state focuses on the rural county, wanting answers. The light soon shines on several people: the girl’s father, a worthless drunk named Wash Jones; a pair of teenage thugs with grand ambitions to control north Mississippi; and a red-headed truck stop madam named Fannie Hathcock, who has her own problems – the Syndicate from down on the Gulf Coast has big plans for her neck of the woods.
As Quinn and Lillie uncover old secrets and new lies, the entire town turns against them, and they learn the most dangerous enemies may be the ones you trust most.
Ace Atkins “sets a new standard for Southern crime fiction,” writes The New York Times Book Review– and, with The Innocents, he sets it again.

http://tinyurl.com/zayv599

Ace Atkins’s book comes too close to some of the details regarding Jessica’s murder. It's no wonder Lisa Chamber is mad, and I don’t blame her! I agree with Jessica’s sister, it is very disrespectful.

This case has been so horrific in so many ways. The family, especially Jessica's mom, was openly attacked and accused on Facebook and probably elsewhere online. The public considered her father a suspect even though the police did not. Jessica's character was maligned along the lines of female rape victims in decades past. Now this author takes the crime and uses it as inspiration to develop a book and publish it right on the heels of the arrest of Quentin Tellis, the alleged murderer.

This means the book was started shortly after the crime was committed. Perhaps this timeline is what most bothers me. I see crimes "ripped from the headlines" on Law & Order, CSI and Criminal Minds, so this does happen...a lot. What dismays me is the speed in which the book developed...almost faster than the crime was solved. The author had no way of knowing that he would write faster than law enforcement would investigate, but the timing of "The Innocents" publication is probably auspicious for book sales and decidedly disturbing for Jessica's family.

I can fully understand the rage the Chambers family is feeling. Before Jessica's killer is even convicted there's a book inspired by her murder that rubs even more salt into a wound that has been open and bleeding for 18 months. Maybe this happens all the time except the unique aspects of this crime make it immediately recognizable...or maybe it's an outlier. Either way, I'd much rather see justice done before anyone writes anything, and I'd much rather see a non-fiction account of what really happened to poor Jessica than using her death as a springboard for fiction.

However, the First Amendment allows for Freedom of Speech, so the best action (and perhaps most difficult) would be for the Chambers family to turn off their internet and/or stay away from everything online that deals with Jessica. Jessica's mom struggles with this throughout the investigation; she fought the rumor and innuendo of "Jessica sites" and, in the process, fed into the trolls who made her life a living hell. Sometimes not knowing is a blessing. The rest of us can show our disapproval by not buying the book....

Excellent post, Deb! I agree with everything you stated.

Prior to Jessica’s death, she told Linda Oliver, a writer from Birmingham, that she had a story which needs to be told and that the world needs to hear her story. ( Source: http://tinyurl.com/gkwgy9l ) I highly doubt she meant after her atrocious death. Furthermore, I’m sure Jessica would be appalled at knowing her gruesome death was nothing more than an inspiration for a new novel that is fiction.

Ace Atkins tells FOX13 that his heart goes out to the family and that he hopes with the upcoming trial and law enforcement the family gets some type of closure. ( Source: http://tinyurl.com/hy34gfr ) If Mr. Atkins truly feels this way, then he would NOT have his novel published prior to Quentin Tellis’ trial. It is blatantly obvious that the almighty dollar is much more important to Mr. Atkins, than any feelings he may have toward to Chambers family.

Like you, I would much rather read a non-fiction account of what really happened to Jessica Chambers the night she died, all the way through Quinton Tellis’ trial. As you know, "The Fall River Tragedy" by Edwin H. Porter, was the very first book published regarding the Borden murders and Lizzie’s trial. Mr. Porter had the decency to publish his non-fiction book in 1893, after Lizzie’s trial was completed.

You can bet your bottom dollar that I will NOT be purchasing Mr. Atkins’ fictional novel.

Alright! Quinton Tellis' initial court appearance has been rescheduled for July the 15th. Oh, what I would give to be a fly on the wall at his trial.

Google Alert for Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/zwzqmgf

Today’s Google Alert - Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/gqpxkws

Today’s Google Alerts for Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/hsgp82j and http://tinyurl.com/z8lf4zv

There is nothing new in the alert for Jessica, BUT there is new information in the Quinton Tellis alerts.

Google Alert - Jessica Chambers: http://tinyurl.com/ztwogws

Google Alert - Quinton Tellis: http://tinyurl.com/j66dcwr and http://tinyurl.com/goh3x3k

Today’s Google Alerts for Jessica Chambers:

http://tinyurl.com/h64cl6h

http://tinyurl.com/zqlswg6

http://tinyurl.com/h6oaw5l

http://tinyurl.com/gnxyzeb


Today’s Google Alerts for Quinton Tellis:

http://tinyurl.com/z6qvsx6

http://tinyurl.com/jjyc63n

http://tinyurl.com/gptagns

http://tinyurl.com/hveltkf

Twins posted the link before I got to it :-) the alleged murderer of Jessica Chambers is being charged with the torture murder of Ming-Chen Hsiao in Louisiana. The murderer appears to have cut Ming-Chen Hsiao repeatedly yet superficially with a knife to obtain the PIN to her debit card. Then, when he got what he wanted, he stabbed her to death...altogether over 30 wounds. If this is true, and I am inclined to think it is as law enforcement did not rush to justice, ...if this is true, Quentin Tellis needs to be removed from society forever. The death penalty might be too good for him, but what I have in mind flies in the face of both man's laws and probably God's if we don't look back into the Old Testament, Exodus 21:24. I think of Marcellus Wallace in Pulp Fiction; they need to get "Medieval" on him.