In the small town of Smithville, Georgia, 17-year-old Julianna Denise Thompson was looking forward to a bright future. A White female known affectionately as "JuJu," she had recently passed her GED and was making plans to attend Albany Tech in the summer to study phlebotomy. Her ultimate dream was to become a school social worker, using her own experiences to help children with mental health issues. Described by her family as a beautiful, silly, and loving young lady, Julianna lived with her 41-year-old mother, Jessica Lynn Hatcher Thompson. Jessica was a disabled mother of three who was devoted to her children.
The family’s plans were shattered on March 7, 2024. After not hearing from either Jessica or Julianna all day, Jessica’s parents went to their apartment in the 100 block of Wells Street to check on them. They found the door open and, inside, discovered that both mother and daughter were deceased.
The Smithville Police Department responded to a 911 call, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was brought in to lead what was being treated as a double homicide investigation. The violent deaths shocked the close-knit community and devastated their loved ones, who held a joint funeral service for them on March 15, 2024.
The investigation quickly focused on a suspect. On March 9, just two days after the discovery, Marcus Dontavious Butts, a 28-year-old from the nearby town of Preston, was arrested on unrelated charges. While he was in custody, GBI agents continued to build their case. On April 9, 2024, they secured warrants and charged Butts in connection with the murders of Jessica and Julianna Thompson. The initial charges included malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and home invasion.
In June 2024, a Lee County grand jury formally indicted Marcus Butts on 18 counts related to the case. The charges included two counts of malice murder, six counts of felony murder, first-degree home invasion, first-degree burglary, and multiple counts of aggravated assault and firearm possession.
In a separate court hearing for a prior offense, a judge revoked Butts' probation, ensuring he would remain incarcerated. As of May 2025, Marcus Butts is being held in the Lee County Jail, where he remains detained while awaiting trial for the murders. A trial date has not yet been scheduled.
