| Sources |
- [S76] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume III, 1974-1986, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 13 Sep 1986.
Hill, Melissa Yvonne Suttles 21 b. 2/2/65 TN d. 9/13/86 murdered at Rocky Top Motel Gatlinburg DOA SCH motel desk clerk f. Kenneth Wesley Suttles m. Stella Verol Cole SMMG Survivors: hus Melvin Douglas Hill R12 Box 821 Allensville Rd Sev parents Sev g-parents Hazel Suttles Sev Charles Suttles Maryville Buford Cole Sev bro Kenneth Carl Suttles Johnny Parker Suttles sis Mrs Chris (Marie) Angelique) Varney Kimberly Ann Suttles Rebecca Ruth Suttles f..and m-in-law Mell & Faye Hill Gatlinburg preceded in death by her g-mother Ruth Cole.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 3 Aug 2006.
Convicted murderer dies in prison
By: JEFF FARRELL, Staff Writer August 03, 2006
GATLINBURG - One of the four people convicted in perhaps the most notorious slayings in this community's history died in prison earlier this year, The Mountain Press has learned.
Joseph DeModica turned 50 on the March 10, the day he died, according to a letter sent to relatives of one of his victims. He was serving a life sentence for his part in the Sept. 13, 1986 murders of Melissa "Missy" Suttles Hill and Troy Dale Valentine at the Rocky Top Village Inn.
Hill's relatives, who notified The Mountain Press of DeModica's death Tuesday, said they were relieved that he died before he could be released because they believe he was the ringleader of the attack.
"Everybody in my family always believed he was the one," said Marie Garrett, Hill's sister.
After his arrest, DeModica turned on two of his accomplices, saying that Edward "Tattoo Eddie" Harris and Harris's girlfriend, Kimberly Pelley, killed Hill and Valentine while DeModica and his lover, Rufus Doby, were outside in a car.
He told the jury in Harris's trial that Pelley and Harris took Hill and Valentine into a room at the inn and emerged covered in blood.
"It looked like someone took a can of spray paint and just painted them red," DeModica told the jury.
District Attorney General Al Schmutzer said that he hardly ever uses codefendants in a case.
"If he hadn't testified, we would have had to cut them all loose at the time," Schmutzer said.
Eventually Doby - a transvestite who adopted the name Ashley Silvers - would turn on DeModica, and testify at his trial that it was DeModica and Harris who were in the room when the murders occurred.
A few days after the murder, a note was found in a phone booth in Maggie Valley, N.C., along with a pocketknife that had belonged to Hill.
The note said, in part, "Sorry about this but Joe's mean. He would kill me if I hadn't done what he said."
Authorities believe the note was written by Harris.
"We felt like whoever wrote that note was being sincere," Garrett said Tuesday.
Garrett said they also believed it would have taken more than two people to commit the crimes.
She said that she will go to any parole hearings for Harris or Pelley, and she did the same for Doby until his parole last year.
After Harris's trial received massive media coverage, the trials of the codefendants were held in other areas. Harris was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was later altered to three consecutive life sentences when an appeals court determined he was mentally retarded and therefore not eligible for the death penalty.
Harris had twice asked the court to end his appeals and proceed with the execution, changing his mind on both occasions before the sentence was carried out.
DeModica and Pelley both received life sentences.
Doby was released last year.
* jfarrell@themountainpress.com
- [S4] Knoxville News-Sentinel (Tennessee), 23 Jul 2000.
Death row inmate resumes appeals
- [S87] Death Certificate.
Name Date of Death / Age County of Death County / State of Residence Marital Status Gender Race File #
HILL MELISSA 09-13-1986 / 21 SEVIER SEVIER / TN MARRIED F WHITE 39344
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Groom's Name Bride's First Name Bride's Maiden Name County Date of Marriage File #
HILL MELVIN D MELLISSA S [NOT GIVEN] SEVIER 02-12-1983 05307
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
58025 MELVIN DOUGLAS HILL MELISSA YVONNE SUTTLES
- [S35] The Official Marriage Records of Sevier County Tennessee 1982 - 1987, Volume V, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, (Copyright 2009), ISBN 1-890150-00-7.
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