People Magazine Investigates: Recap for Mother’s Orders
Mary Elizabeth Bailey story. photos from Priscilla Wyers
People Magazine Investigates: Recap for Mother’s Orders
The Beginning
This week’s episode focuses on Wayne Wyers. His family and friends recall him as an attractive, loving guy growing up.
His teenage girlfriend Priscilla remembers their courtship and eventual breakup. She says that after their breakup, she dated someone else and got pregnant. When she gave birth, the former couple reunited at the hospital. The two eventually leave their significant others and get back together, eventually getting married and having children.
The family says that money was tight, but Wayne would work hard to provide for the family working as a truck driver.
That Fateful Night
Things took a drastic turn one fateful night when Wayne was shot….by Priscilla. Deputy Vance recalls arriving to the crime scene with Deputy Miller, where Wayne was on the floor, incoherent and mumbling. The men found it odd that nobody was helping him, so they rendered him aid. More help arrives and eventually Wayne goes to the hospital, while investigators try to figure out what happened.
Priscilla admitted she and Wayne had been fighting over the fact that she lent out his Jeep and it got totaled. This led to everything going downhill and Wayne allegedly beating her, leading to him getting shot. However, her story didn’t sit well and then the story changed with Priscilla confessing that it was actually her daughter Mary who shot Wayne.
Authorities are skeptical, but do the routine tests for gun residue. An investigation begins to get answers.
The Investigation
The next morning, Wayne died, devastating the entire family. The investigation continues, even making the local news where it states Mary was the killer. Investigators think there is something fishy about the story and question Priscilla once again. The kids are eventually taken from the home….without Mary.
At this point it is said Wayne was killed in self-defense…..but people were also saying that Priscilla and her mother Eva were looking into hiring someone to kill Wayne. Priscilla is then arrested, but the previous tests reveal the gun residue was on Mary’s hands.
Trial and Verdict
During the trial, Mary is given a deal where she could testify against her mother during the trial. She confesses to the abuse she witnessed toward Priscilla and Eva and how it eventually led to Priscilla convincing Mary to shoot Wayne in cold blood, even talking her through the shooting.
Eva and Priscilla also testify, but it doesn’t do much to help Priscilla’s case. They all decide she had plenty of options that didn’t include killing Wayne.
The verdict declares Priscilla guilty of first degree murder. While she is in jail, Mary bounces around the foster care system, while the other kids are adopted by their foster parents. They were allowed to visit Priscilla, despite the protests of their adopted parents.
Update
Ten years later, Mary goes back to court to testify and help Priscilla get released from prison. The two of them were able to repair their relationship, despite Priscilla meeting a man and having another baby. Priscilla’s other kids had their own struggles.
Mary’s story is shared in her memoir, My Mother’s Solider, which she says helped her heal.
