They say whatever is done in the dark comes to light, and although this ex-Georgia pastor tried to cover up his lies, nine years after his original guilty verdict, he just got some more bad news.
William C. Pounds III, former pastor of King’s Chapel Memorial CME Church in Perry, Georgia, made headlines in 2015 after police accused him of killing one of his two girlfriends... yes, two girlfriends. Pounds, who reportedly staged the death of his then girlfriend, Kendra Jackson, as a suicide, was quickly determined to be the real suspect after a series of poorly told lies led police back to him, according to the Macon Telegraph.
Pounds and Jackson, began a longterm romantic relationship in 2000, but things got complicated in 2005. That’s when Pounds met Vicinda Crawford. He maintained relationships with both women for the next ten years, according to official court documents. “Pounds was repeatedly able to convince each woman that he had left the other and wanted to be with her,” the document said. “Throughout this ten-year period, Pounds became engaged to each woman, sometimes to both at once.”
According to court documents, things came to a head in 2015 when both women showed up at the church’s “National Pastor Appreciation Day” to support Pounds. Jackson and Crawford apparently exchanged numbers and began texting after discovering Pounds was still dating both of them.
Regardless, Crawford and Pounds continued dating and were eventually set to get married on June 12, 2015. But hours before the couple was scheduled to wed, Jackson was found dead in Pounds’ house. According to police, Pounds called 911 and told them Jackson had committed suicide. He even went as far to tell officials he tried to stop Jackson from pulling the trigger but “was too late.”
“Pounds said the couple had an argument during which he told Jackson he no longer wanted to be in a relationship with her; Jackson then told him that ‘if we’re going to separate, then one of us is going to have to leave the world,’” documents shared.
At face value, Pounds’ story made sense, but a deep investigation into the matter determined Pounds lied about several details in his story. Additionally, police say a second bullet found in Pounds’ mattress completely derailed the original suicide story. The ex-pastor was soon arrested and charged with Jackson’s murder. He was then sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
On Tuesday (Nov. 5), the Georgia Supreme Court denied Pounds’ appeal, determining the jury rightfully convicted him the first time around, according to the court documents. Pounds was hoping his status as a practicing pastor would buy him sympathy with the courts— even opening a Bible during court proceedings, according to Christianpost.com— but it seems both the original jury and the Supreme Court didn’t buy it. Pounds will now continue to serve out the rest of his life sentence in prison.