The Murders of Stan Farr and Andrea Wilborn
Morbid
01/11/24
•86m
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When Priscilla Davis filed for divorce from her husband, Cullen Davis, in 1974, she had no idea that her actions would have such tragic consequences. Less than two years later, on the same day the divorce was finalized and the terms of the alimony were settled, a man wearing a disguise broke into Priscilla’s home and killed her twelve-year-old daughter, then waited for Priscilla to return. When she arrived a short time later, the intruder said hello to Priscilla and her new boyfriend before shooting them both, wounding Priscilla and killing her companion.
Cullen Davis was immediately suspected of the murders and taken into custody, leading to one of the most sensational and captivating trials the country had ever seen. The wealthiest man to ever be tried for murder in the United States up to that point, Cullen Davis was said to be the primary influence for the villainous J.R. Ewing, the main antagonist on the hit television series Dallas, and he more than lived up to the role. Davis’s wealth and status allowed him to control the narrative of the trial, which quickly became an indictment of his former wife, who, despite being the victim of a horrible crime, was vilified by the press and the defense as the real villain in the case.
Although it is nearly five decades in the past, the marriage of Priscilla and Cullen Davis, and the murder trial that followed, are emblematic of many of the issues that the American justice system (and the public) continues to struggle with today including who is and isn’t a victim, and how power and money can control the pursuit and application of justice.
Thank you to David White, of the Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance
References
Brown, Greg. 2016. Texas Tragedy: The Story of Priscilla Davis: A True Story of Money, Murder and Survival. Dallas, TX: CreateSpace.
Cartwright, Gary. 1977. "Rich Man, Dead Man." Texas Monthly, March 1.
Cochran, Mike. 1977. "Davis trial: Haynes says Farr target of shooting." Denton Record-Chronicle, October 25: 5.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 1977. "DA's narration to Davis jury detailed but brief." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 21: 2.
—. 1976. "Judge defends bond on Davis." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 4: 1.
Guzzo, Glenn. 1977. "Davis cries tears of joy after acquittal." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 18: 1.
—. 1977. "Davis' fate now in jurors' hands." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 17: 1.
—. 1977. "Final arguments begin." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 16: 1.
—. 1977. "His innocence avowed, Davis doubts provocation." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 7: 1.
—. 1977. "Questioning nets no jurors." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 1: 1.
Hollandsworth, Skip. 2001. "Survivor's gilt: convinced that it was her husband who tried to kill her, the Texas socialite devoted herself to the best revenge." New York Times Magazine, December 30.
—. 2000. "Blood Will Sell." Texas Monthly, March 1.
McConal, Jon, and Mark Nelson. 1977. "Few surprised by Davis verdict." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 18: 1.
Moore, Dick. 1976. "Slain man was liked by fans, teammates." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 3: 1.
Moore, Evan. 1976. "Davis jailed without bond." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 20: 1.
—. 1977. "Picture of Priscilla, Rufner not allowed as evidence by judge." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 24: 1.
Stiteler, Rowland. 1976. "Blood-spattered white foyer tells story of slayings." Fort Worth Star-Telegram , August 3: 6.
—. 1976. "Davis jailed after slayings." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 3: 1.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Previous Episode
The Murder of Mary Stannard
January 8, 2024
•72m
On the afternoon of September 3, 1878, twenty-two-year-old Mary Stannard d left her home in Madison, Connecticut, telling her father she was going blackberry picking and would be back before dark. When night came and Mary hadn’t returned, her father went out to look for her and eventually found her body by a creek in the woods. The investigation into her murder was truly wild and remains TECHNICALLY unsolved.
Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research!
References
Bendici, Ray. 2015. "The CT files: the 'unsolved murder of Mary STAN-ard." Cennecticut Magazine, August 23.
Foote, William. 1970. "Mary STAN-ard, she was murdered." Hartford Courant, March 5: 16.
Hartford Courant. 1878. "Hayden re-arrested." Hartford Courant, October 9: 3.
—. 1878. "Strong circumstantial evidence against a clergyman." Hartford Courant, September 7: 2.
—. 1878. "The Madison murder." Hartford Courant, September 6: 3.
Hayden, Herbert. 1880. The Reverend Herbert Hayden: An Autobiography. Hartford, CT: Press of the Plimptron Manufacturing Co.
New York Times. 1878. "A young woman's ruin and death." New York Times, September 6: 1.
—. 1878. "Is Rev. Mr. Hayden guilty." New York Times, September 14: 5.
—. 1879. "Mary STAN-ard's death." New York Times, November 7: 5.
—. 1878. "Mrs. Hayden's testimony." New York Times, September 21: 1.
—. 1880. "The Hayden case: beginning of the closing arguments." New York Times, January 15: 5.
—. 1879. "The long murder trial." New York Times, November 21: 2.
Pearson, Edmund. 1927. "Mary STAN-ard and the Reverend Mr. Hayden." Vanity Fair, March 01.
Unknown author. 1879. Poor Mary STAN-ard: A Full and Thrilling Story of the Circumstances Connected with Her Murder. New Haven: Stafford Printing Company.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
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Next Episode
Ann & Billy Woodward
January 15, 2024
•107m
In the early morning hours of October 31, 1955, millionaire socialite Ann Woodward heard a strange noise in the hallway just beyond her bedroom door in the sprawling estate she shared with her husband, Billy, and their two children. There had been a series of robberies in the wealthy neighborhood that month, so Ann had kept a shotgun next to her bed for safety. Rising from her bed, Ann grabbed the gun and crept towards the door, slowly opening it so as not to attract any attention. Visibility was low in the darkened hallway, but she could see the vague shape of a man moving towards her and without hesitation, Ann raised the shotgun and fired in the direction, striking the figure and cutting him down. With the threat neautralized, Ann moved towards the figure on the floor only to realize she’d shot and killed her husband, Billy Woodward.
At least that’s the official version of the story. The investigation moved incredibly quickly, in the way it always seems to for the wealthiest among us, and Ann Woodward was cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of her husband—it was simply an accident. Yet there were many among Ann and Billy’s family and friends who believed Ann had intentionally shot her husband that night in order to prevent him from going forward with a messy divorce that would have brought an end to the glamorous high society lifestyle she spent her entire life working to secure.
Ann Woodward was never able to escape the rumors and gossip from those she’d once counted as friends, all of which was made exponentially worse by novelist Truman Capote, whose slanderous fiction many believe drove Ann to suicide. Ann’s untimely death meant that many questions would forever go unanswered: did she really kill her husband in order to remain among America’s elite moneymakers?
Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring Me the Ax Podcast for research!
References
Associated Press. 1955. "Mrs. Woodward stays in hospital; to miss husband's funeral." Buffalo Evening News, November 1: 10.
—. 1955. "Mrs. Woodward's father dumbfounded." Buffalo Evening News, November 1: 10.
—. 1956. "Woodward case burgler sentenced ." Los Angeles Times, February 5: 6.
Bigart, Homer. 1955. "Woodward left trusts to 2 sons." New York Times, November 10: 36.
Bracker, Milton. 1955. "Wife kills Woodward, owner of Nashua." New York Times, October 31: 1.
—. 1955. "Woodward jury finds no crime after widow testifies in shooting." New York Times, November 26: 1.
—. 1955. "Woodward proweler now admits being on estate at time of killing." New York Times, November 8: 1.
Braudy, Susan. 1992. This Crazy Thing Called Love. New York, NY: A.A. Knopf.
Kashner, Sam. 2012. "Capote's Swan Dive." Vanity Fair, November 15.
Knickerbocker, Cholly. 1955. "Violent scenes marked Woodward marriage." San Francisco Examiner, November 11: 9.
Montillo, Roseanne. 2022. Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century. New York, NY: Atria Books.
New York Times. 1955. "Prowler dsicusses Woodward case aid." New York Times, November 9: 36.
Randolph, Nancy. 1955. "N.Y. society shocked by shooting." Los Angeles Times, March 30: 7.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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