Husband Arrested in 2006 Cold Case Murder of Wife in Coffee County
After nearly two decades, the GBI has arrested Jon Worrell, 58, of Douglas, Georgia, and charged him with Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, and Aggravated Battery in connection with the death of his wife, Doris Worrell, in 2006. Jon Worrell, now residing in Maryville, Missouri, was taken into custody at his home without incident and has been booked into the Coffee County Jail after waiving extradition.
Doris Worrell, 39, was found shot and killed inside Jon’s Sports Park, their local business in Douglas, on September 20, 2006. Initially, her death was believed to be a robbery gone wrong, and Jon was seen as a grieving husband. However, as the investigation progressed, information emerged that implicated Jon in her death.
Investigators learned that Jon and Doris were experiencing marital issues, including Jon’s relationship with their live-in nanny, Paola Yarberry. Jon was also reportedly concerned about losing custody of his children in a potential divorce. He then began seeking someone to kill Doris.
After Doris’s death, Paola Yarberry was deported to Venezuela due due to an immigration issue. Jon subsequently moved to Fernandina, Florida, and then to Costa Rica, where Paola later joined him. They lived together as a couple and raised Jon and Doris’s children. During this time, Glidden Rodriguez and Brandon Cage were arrested for conspiracy to commit Doris’s murder, but charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence. Glidden Rodriguez has since died from medical issues.
In recent years, investigators learned that Jon and Paola had ended their romantic relationship, and Jon had moved back to the U.S. An in-depth review of the case led investigators to travel to Costa Rica, where Paola eventually cooperated. Based on the initial investigation’s facts, additional information learned and corroborated in recent years, and Paola’s cooperation, arrest warrants for Jon were obtained for Doris’s death.
Law Enforcement Reacts
“This investigation should also give hope to the families of victims in other cold cases that the answers they seek are still being sought,” said SAC Jason Seacrist. “It should produce fear and sleepless nights for the offenders in other cold cases because law enforcement will not stop looking for you. It should bring pride and confidence in the communities we serve, knowing that law enforcement has not forgotten and will continue to investigate these cases, no matter how long it takes.”
Coffee County Sheriff Fred Cole emphasized the department’s unwavering commitment. “I want to be clear. This case has never been forgotten. While the road has been long and often frustrating, we never gave up. Justice delayed is still justice. Today we honor Doris and her loved ones with this long awaited breakthrough.”
The GBI and the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office received assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Division of Drug and Crime Control, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Operation Relentless Pursuit, Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maryville Department of Public Safety.
This investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI regional investigative office in Douglas at (912) 389-4103 or the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at (912) 384-4227. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
