Naman Shrestha
A detailed account of Dr. Jack Wilson’s gruesome murder is covered by the episode titled ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Family of Darkness.’ It delves into the details surrounding the scandalous murder case, exploring how the well-respected doctor was murdered and what measures were taken to find out the identity of the perpetrator. The episode also consists of interviews with the loved ones of the victim as well as individuals who were a part of the investigation that followed the tragedy.
How Did Dr. Jack Wilson Die?
On May 5, 1937, Dr. Jack Wray Wilson was born into a close-knit household in Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois. He was raised in a loving home surrounded by the care, support, and affection of his family. Jack was a bright student and fared well on the academic front; he went on to graduate from high school and college with flying colors. Those who knew him described him as a person who was generous to a fault, greeted everyone with a wide smile, and was always ready to help others in need. Owing to his compassionate and amiable nature, Jack made a positive impact on the lives of everyone he crossed paths with in his life.
Growing up, Jack was quite determined in his pursuit to fulfill his aspirations. Playing to his strengths, he obtained a degree in medicine and ultimately became an Ophthalmologist. Dr. Jack Wilson had been a resident of Alabama, particularly the city of Huntsville for quite a while. The 55-year-old was a celebrated Ophthalmologist in the area, having made a name for himself by offering first-rate expert services. On the personal front, Jack was married to Betty Woods Wilson. The two met back in the 70s at the Humana Hospital, wherein Jack was working as a doctor, while Betty was a nurse.
It was love at first sight for Jack and Betty. One thing led to another, and the two moved in together. However, their love story suffered a dent in 1978 when Jack was informed that he had to be operated on due to complications regarding Crohn’s disease, which he had been living with for a long while. Following the surgery, Betty and Jack tied the knot. The two were madly in love as they built their future together in Huntsville. Though the Wilsons were financially secure, they had their share of ups and downs, mostly related to Betty’s dependence on alcohol and “affairs,” which she claimed Jack knew about.
At the time of the incident, the reputed members of the community had been living in a three-story home in an affluent neighborhood in the city. Betty had quit her job long back and had been spending her time at home. In 1992, Jack and Betty had been planning a vacation to Santa Fe, New Mexico, during the Memorial Day Weekend. Little did they know, they would never be able to embark upon that trip as just a day ahead of their departure, on May 22, 1992, Jack Wilson was found dead at his place. On the fateful night, Betty was greeted with a tragic sight after returning home from one of her Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
After stepping inside, she found her husband of 14 years lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, with an aluminum baseball bat placed on his side. Betty immediately called 911 from their neighbor’s residence. Once Jack’s death was confirmed, the authorities began scouring the pair’s home looking for clues and other evidence. Apart from the murder weapon — the bat — and the blood splatters on the hardwood flooring and walls, the officials couldn’t garner any forensic evidence or fingerprints that could link them to the perpetrator. It didn’t look like a burglary as no evident ransacking had transpired, plus the Ophthalmologist’s cards were found at their place. The authorities then launched an official in-depth investigation to delve deep into the matter.
Who Killed Dr. Jack Wilson?
When the investigators looked for evidence around the crime scene, they were not able to find any fingerprints or signs of burglary or a break-in. Upon investigating further inside the property, they ruled out burglary as all of Jack’s possessions, such as credit cards, were still in his wallet. Then, the authorities began interrogating neighbors and relatives of the victim to make a list of suspects and follow any leads that they might come across.
Sooner rather than later, the investigators discovered that Jack and his wife, Betty Wilson, were going through a rough patch for a long while, so much so that they slept separately, in different bedrooms. This made them focus on her as she became one of the prime suspects in the case. According to numerous sources, the authorities found out that Betty allegedly said very unkind and distasteful things about her husband. Besides the dislike, there could have been another motive for Betty — Jack’s $6.3 million estate, most of which is left to her. Looking more into Betty, they even found evidence of her alleged extra-marital lifestyle.
Things escalated further when an informant reached out to the police, claiming that a 41-year-old handyman named James White, who worked at the elementary school where Peggy was a teacher, was hired and paid around $5,000 to get rid of Dr. Jack Wilson. Upon interviewing James, they found out that apart from having a dishonorable discharge from the military, he also had a previous record with the law. He told them about his alleged relationship with Peggy Lowe and how he developed a close bond with her, developing a crush on her later.
As per James’ claims, Peggy talked to him about her sister’s husband’s sickness and abusive behavior, which is why the twin sisters wanted to have him killed. He also claimed that after getting dropped at Jack’s house on May 22, 1992, by Betty herself, he hid upstairs inside Jack’s house to catch him by surprise. When Jack finally came face to face with James in the hallway, they grappled for quite a while before the latter beat Jack to death with a metal baseball bat and stabbed him twice in the abdomen region.
The investigators even found links between James and Betty when they discovered her revolver on his property, under the floorboards. Moreover, a library book signed out by Betty was found in possession of James in his truck. He confessed that she kept some cash in advance in that book and handed it to him after Peggy had negotiated a price for carrying out Jack’s murder, which was $5,000, as per reports. With the support of these incriminating pieces of evidence, the police arrested both Betty Wilson and Peggy Lowe, but they denied all the charges against them.
What Happened to Betty Wilson and Peggy Lowe?
During the trial, many of Betty’s friends testified against her, claiming that she bad-mouthed Dr. Jack Wilson more than often. Her reputation for having alleged affairs also worked against her. In light of all the evidence, the jury returned with a guilty verdict for Betty, convicting her of capital murder of her husband, Jack. Later, she received a life imprisonment sentence without the possibility of parole.
As for Peggy Lowe, her trial began eight months after her sister’s. Although the prosecution claimed that she was also an equal contributor to killing Jack, by hiring James White, the jury saw her in a different light as compared to her sister due to her good reputation. As a result, Peggy faced a different fate than her sister’s as she was acquitted of the crime and got out after paying $300,000 bail. When it comes to James White, he took a plea deal and testified against the twin sisters at trial to avoid receiving the death sentence.
After the trial, Peggy reportedly started leading a respectable life and even got remarried to a professor working at the University of Alabama. Since then, she has kept her private life under wraps and away from the public eye. As for her sister, Betty, she got remarried too, in 2006. A former Green Beret named Bill Campbell fancied her after watching a ’48 Hours’ episode, and the two had a traditional wedding ceremony in the prison. Currently, Betty is serving her life sentence behind bars at the Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women at 8966 US-231 in Wetumpka.
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