Content Warning: contains violence and talk of drug use and sex
Growing up in north Georgia, I remember hearing the rumors that there were Satan worshippers who lived on the mountain and sacrificed chickens and small children. I didn't fully understand where that information came from until I read the story of Corpsewood Manor in Trion, Georgia.
Trion is located in Chattooga County. It is a small town comprised primarily of conservative white Christians. The majority of the county live below the poverty level and this has been true for Chattooga County since it's inception.
Dr. Charles Scudder was a Loyola professor of pharmacology and also the assistant director of the Institute for the Study of Mind, Drugs & Behavior. He ran experiments for the military on the effects of drugs, primarily LSD, on the mind and behavior. He was described as eccentric by his friends and colleagues in Chicago.
In 1976, Dr. Scudder decided that he was over the hustle and bustle of the "Windy City" and he wanted to live off the grid. He moved to Trion, GA with his housekeeper and companion, Joseph "Joey" Odom.
Upon arriving at their new property, the pair noticed the dead trees that decorated the land and chose to name the property Corpsewood Manor. They built the manor themselves and decorated it with Satanic symbols and artifacts. The couple had two English Mastiffs that they aptly named Beelzebub and Arsinath. The locals call the mountain where the manor is located, Devil's Mountain due to the rumors that spread once the couple moved in to town. The third floor of the manor was named the "Pink Room" and used for the couples sex and drug parties.
Avery Kenneth Brock was a frequent hunter at Corpsewood. He came to the conclusion that the men were hiding a fortune at the manor, even though they lived off the grid and were completely self-sufficient. Brock shared his theory with friend, Tony West. The two concocted a plan to rob the men of their fortune.
On December 12, 1982, Brock and West picked up West's nephew, Joey Wells and his friend Teresa Hudgins. The group traveled to Corpsewood to party with Scudder and Odom. The group partied together for a few hours, consuming wine and enjoying themselves. At this point, Brock excused himself and stepped out to his car.
Brock returned from his car with a .22 caliber rifle. He immediately shot Odom four times in the temple, killing him. West and Brock then tied up Dr.Scudder and demanded to know where his fortune was. During this, Hudgins and Wells attempted to flee the chaos, but were forced to return when the car wouldn't start. The other two men ransacked the manor in search of the money and when they turned up nothing, West shot Dr. Scudder.
West and Brock stole Dr. Scudder's Jeep and attempted to also steal his harp, but it would not fit in the vehicle. They then fled the scene and immediately set out across state lines to avoid being caught. The pair stopped at a rest stop in Vicksburg, Mississippi and stole a car from Navy Lt. Kirby Phelps. Unfortunately, Lt. Phelps was killed during the hijacking.
On December 16th, a neighbor contacted the police after finding bullet holes in the door of the manor. The same day, Teresa came forward with information about the murder. She claimed that she had been held captive by Wells, but was finally able to escape.
After traveling as far as Texas, Brock turned himself in on December 20th in Georgia. A few days later, on December 24th, West finally surrendered in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The murder received so much media attention, that the cases were pushed to be sent to trial quickly. Brock's trial was set to start on January 26th and West's trial was set to start on February 3rd. Brock was offered a plea deal since he was only 17 at the time of the crime. He was offered a life sentence instead of the death penalty in exchange for his guilty plea and testimony. He admitted to the judge that he shot Odom twice in the temple and also verified that the two had planned the murder and robbery. He denied shooting Dr. Scudder but stated that West was responsible for that shooting.
The prosecution immediately decided to seek the death penalty in regards to West. His defense was primarily built around the accusation that Dr. Scudder had drugged the two men with LSD and that they were hallucinating at the time of the murders. He claimed that he shot the two dogs that were laying peacefully on the floor because he hallucinated they had lion heads and he freaked out. Although pharmaceutical vials of LSD were found at the property, there was no evidence presented to confirm that the two men had been dosed with it. The jury was comprised of members of the small county and it made jury selection very difficult. Many of the potential jurors were excused because they had pre-judged the case due to media. Also, in such a small town, there were many people with close connections to the two suspects.
Judge Joseph E "Bo" Loggins presided over the trial. He was known for being hard on crime, but in his career he had many rulings overturned by higher courts. The jury found West guilty and he was sentenced to death. A higher court reversed that ruling and West received life in prison. Both men have been denied for parole multiple times over the years and they are currently still both incarcerated.
There are many rumors regarding Corpsewood Manor that still remain today. The property is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of the two men who were slain so needlessly. Reports have been made regarding apparitions, items moving on their own, and many other ghostly sightings. Generally when there is a violent death, you can be sure there is an imprint left in its wake.
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