The Murders of Gail Moody and Lori Arrowood
I watched an episode of Hometown Homicide for this case, it’s season 2 episode 2, titled ‘Have You Seen Me?’ This show is also one of my favorites, because they show you old news footage, and police interrogation audio from the crimes. This case is so sad because not only one woman is killed, but two and the cases are both connected because they knew the same monster who decided to end their lives.
Deborah Gail Moody
Deborah Gail Moody, Gail as she is referred to by family and friends, was 42 years old when she was killed. She lived in the small town of Ludowici, Georgia. She was also recently divorced, and had a son, Christopher who was going to school in Florida.
Gail
Gail was super close with her mom, Melanie Clark, and they often talked everyday. Melanie said she was worried when she hadn’t heard from Gail on December 10, 2007.
Investigation
Gail lived out in the middle of nowhere in a trailer home. She had moved out to get some peace and seclusion.
The police immediately came out to search Gail’s home, and search for the missing woman. Gail’s car was still out front, and they found her purse inside her home. The police also found no evidence or fingerprints at Gail’s home.
The GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) was brought in. They went to Gail’s work to interview her co-workers. Gail worked in the office of a construction company on a military base. A co-worker of Gail’s said Gail had given a man named Gerald Brancham a ride home on December 4th. Gerald showed up the next day at work, but Gail didn’t. The police were immediately suspicious.
Detective Ty Smith said they tried contacting Gerald for days, and they finally had to tell his employer to set up a meeting for him to get his paycheck. The police met with Gerald, and he said he had misplaced his phone, which is why they couldn’t contact him. Gerald also gave the police several names of people he was with as his alibi. Gerald was cleared as a suspect.
Gail’s ex-husband, Jeff Mooney was also looked at a suspect. He was looked at because he reportedly had a girlfriend before his divorce was finalized, and he was the beneficiary of Gail’s life insurance policy. However, he too was cleared. He was on a training mission for the National Guard, and was on base during the time of her disappearance.
A False Confession
The police received a tip that an inmate named Marvin Jeffs confessed to another inmate that he was responsible for Gail’s murder. Marvin was known to the police, and was in and out of jail often for drug possession. He was out of jail in December 2007.
He was a local plumber, and reportedly had been at Gail’s home before. He also “bragged” about how he raped and killed Gail.
The police interviewed Marvin. They said he never made eye contact and was often tapping his foot. He said he didn’t know Gail, which police knew was false. The police also obtained a warrant to search Marvin’s home. The police didn’t find anything.
Marvin had made the whole thing up to boost his “street cred.”
Lori Arrowood
On September 25, 2010- 3 years after Gail’s disappearance, 42 year old Lori Arrowood disappeared. Her daughter called her dad, who was overseas in the military to say that Lori was missing.
Lori
Lori and her husband
Lori and Gail looked a lot alike, were the same age, and the two women were actually friends. They rode horses together, and had a mutual friend named Shelly.
On September 28, the police met with Shelly and her husband Ken, a former corrections officer. The police said that Ken appeared nervous. They also found out that Ken did work as a handyman for extra money. He was one of the last people to see Lori.
The police interviewed Ken. He confessed that Lori accused him of rape, and that she was going to tell Shelly. Ken said he killed Lori, and “threw” her into the woods. Ken told them where Lori’s body was, and they found her.
They also asked him about Gail’s murder, and he said he didn’t do it because he was home sick that day. The police found it strange that he knew what day it was because they knew the timeline of her disappearance, but not the exact day when she died.
Ken Lumpkin was charged with Lori Arrowood’s murder. On August 19, 2013, Ken pleaded guilty to Lori’s murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
Ken Lumpkin at trial
Melanie Clark, Gail’s mom, was angry that he didn’t confess because she knew it was him who killed Gail.
Gail Moody’s family, her mother Melanie Clark is in the red.
Ken’s 2nd Confession
In 2019, 11 years after he killed Gail, he confessed. He was offered immunity for his confession.
He said he went to Gail’s to get ideas for Christmas presents for his wife. He said he tried to sexually assault Gail, but couldn’t perform. He said he made Gail pass out, and was able to drive her to his parent’s home, because they were out of town. He tried to sexually assault her again, and couldn’t perform. He then strangled her to death, and buried her body in the woods.
Gail’s body has never been found, but Ken shared details with the police that only the killer would know.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It makes me so angry that this monster got immunity for another murder. I hope he doesn’t ever get the chance to get out of prison. Two innocent women who were acquittances of this man died because he wanted to have sex with them without his wife finding out.
I am truly happy for both families that they got justice, but for Gail’s family I’m sure it’s hard that her body has never been found. I also feel a little sorry for Shelly, she was friends with both women and they were taken by her own husband. I wonder if Shelly ever had a inkling that Ken was capable of this.
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