Richy Maria Jacob
A&E’s ‘Accused: Guilty or Innocent: Murdered His Mother or Falsely Accused?’ delves deep into the Iowa murder case that tore a family apart in front of the nation. While the verdict of both guilt and innocence were served, there were several questions that still still unanswered, that is, until Jason Carter was ultimately acquitted of his mother’s murder. While the case certainly saw familial foundations being shaken, it also showcased infidelity in Jason Carter’s vows to his wife, Shelly Carter.
Shelly Carter Has Stood by Jason Carter Through Thick and Thin
Shelly Carter is Jason Carter’s wife. The two have been married for over well over two decades and have two children. Though Jason’s mother was found murdered, their marriage did not face any struggles till the truth regarding his extramarital affair saw the light. His father, Bill Carter, had hired a private investigator when he did not see his wife’s murder case develop any new leads for a long time. It was during this investigation that Jason’s extramarital affair with a woman named Tara Kauzlarilch was made public.
Shelly Carter surely went through her share of troubles on a personal front after this. During the trial, she spoke about being confronted with the news. She said, “Every day, I work on forgiving, but never forgetting, because I don’t deserve that, and neither do my children. But yes, I love my husband, and we have reconciled.” The couple has thus, worked on their relationship. Shelly was always next to Jason’s side for most of his hearing.
During Jason’s final criminal trial, after he was given a not guilty verdict, Shelly even hugged him from her seat, which was right behind him. The couple also appeared together in front of the press. In a later interview, when Jason sued his father, she said, “That was one of the happiest days, and we are so thankful. But it hasn’t ended.”
Shelly Carter is Still a Proud Family Woman
Shelly and Jason Carter still reportedly live with their children in their residence in Iowa. The two appear to still farm together and take care of work as usual. Getting back to the community would have been tough, considering everything they had been through since his mother’s murder was extremely public, yet they made it work. The whole experience did take a toll on them, but it seems like they were willing to make it work, so they did. In an interview post-Jason’s verdict, Shelly spoke about the adjustments they have had to make since Jason got acquitted. For instance, she recalls not having to wake up to remind Jason to charge the ankle monitor that he had to wear for over 15 months. Talking about her kids, she said, “They had to do a lot of growing up really fast.”
Thus, the couple who has been married for over 24 years seems to be making a new turnabout in their life. Their episode in the docuseries is perhaps their way of narrating their experience. The last Shelly was seen was when Jason’s plea to dismiss his civil case verdict was upheld in February 2020. As for Jason, he has since seemingly pursued further studies with the help of football and later filed lawsuits in state and federal court on the grounds that officials allegedly ignored other suspects, withheld evidence, and tried to turn his family against him in their investigations. However, the Iowa Supreme Court dismissed the state case in 2023, with a federal judge following in the dismissal of the federal case in 2024. They asserted that while he has the right to express his feelings and take legal actions, they do not believe there was any deliberate violation of his rights.
Read More: Where is Jason Carter Now?
