From Matula’s appeal:
Priscilla Matula and her husband entered into an agreement to purchase a Jeep Eagle dealership. Matula’s mother, Margaret Abernathy, made it possible for the Matulas to secure financing by backing them both personally and also through her real estate company; further, Mrs. Abernathy loaned them substantial sums of money, signed a guaranty, and pledged a certificate of deposit and her home as collateral.
Despite Abernathy’s support, the dealership experienced difficulties. To manufacture the positive cash flow required to obtain a line of credit from the bank and authorization of the dealership from *674 Chrysler, Matula, who had signature authority on several dealership accounts, her mother’s company’s account, and her personal account, forged and kited checks. On the Friday before her murder, Abernathy learned that Priscilla Matula was not making required lien payoffs and that her failure to do so had resulted in problems for both the bank and the dealership’s customers. The following day Abernathy, upset by her daughter’s schemes, went to the bank and attempted to have Matula’s name removed from the checking account signature card for the real estate company. Bank employees told her that because it was a Saturday, she would have to wait until Monday to complete the process.
On Monday morning at approximately 7:15, a witness saw Matula at a convenience store not far from her mother’s home; the witness, who had known her for many years, described her as upset and distracted. Matula arrived at work around 8:15 a. m., but left again around 10:00, ostensibly to buy stamps at the post office. However, another witness, who had gone to inquire about renting a house across the street from Mrs. Abernathy’s house, saw Matula in the convenience store near her mother’s house at about 10:00 a. m., and a few minutes later saw her car at her mother’s house. The witness testified further that as she left the rental house she heard a gunshot and that at that time Matula’s car was still in Abernathy’s driveway. Matula returned to the dealership around 10:30 a. m. but left again a little after 12:00 p. m., saying that she was worried about her mother. Around 12:30 p. m., Matula called to report that her mother had been hurt. It was not until Abernathy was taken to the hospital that it was discovered that she had two gunshot wounds to the head. A nurse at the emergency room testified that Matula, upon learning that her mother would die, burst out and said, “Oh my God, what have I done?” At this point, Matula’s husband said “Shut your damn face.” Later, however, after her husband had left, the nurse again heard Matula say, “Oh my God, what have I done?”
Police investigators who processed the scene of the murder testified that it was their strong belief that the burglary of Abernathy’s home had been staged because the hole that had been made in the back window was too small for an arm to pass through to open the door and because the belongings that had been taken from drawers and cabinets had been neatly stacked on the floor.
Find-A-Grave: Margaret Christine Boyd Abernathy
Priscilla Matula v State of Georgia 1994 (conviction and sentence affirmed)
Lady Decides To Murder Her Mother After Running Family Business In To The Ground
Woman Decides To Murder Her Mother After Running Family Business Into The Ground
Movies/Documentaries
Snapped: Priscilla Matula
INMATE INFORMATION
