Jeffrey Spence was sentenced to life in prison in March 2026 after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in the 2022 killing of Kirby Carpenter, his daughter’s boyfriend, in Tippah County, Mississippi.
The verdict came at Spence’s second trial after jurors in his first trial failed to reach an agreement in September 2025, per Court TV. The jury acquitted him of capital murder and manslaughter, but the first-degree murder conviction led Judge John Kelly Luther to impose a mandatory life sentence.
Carpenter, a 36-year-old businessman, was found dead outside his Mississippi home on Dec. 2, 2022, two days after he was last seen alive. His death began a lengthy investigation that eventually led authorities to Spence, his daughter Caitlin Spence, and his wife, Karen Spence.
Prosecutors argued that money was a key motive in Carpenter’s killing. During the trial, they pointed to Carpenter’s business dealings and his habit of carrying valuable items. He owned Mississippi Gold, Silver, and Coin Exchange and was reportedly known to carry a bag containing an estimated $200,000 to $300,000 in cash, silver, or gold.
?CRIME SHOW ?DATELINE NBC–“The Betrayal of Kirby Carpenter” 9:00 PM EST ✨Friday✨ Kirby Carpenter, a 36-year-old self-made millionaire from Ripley, Mississippi, who accumulated his wealth dealing in gold, silver, and cash. He was found shot to death outside his rural Tippah… pic.twitter.com/E3lb3kAzSW
— American Crime Stories™ (@AmericanCrime01) October 17, 2026Caitlin played a key role in the case after agreeing to testify against her father as part of a plea deal. She told jurors that her father had confessed his involvement in Carpenter’s death after she discovered her boyfriend’s body. Spence’s defense team challenged her account and portrayed Carpenter as an abusive drug dealer.
The case also involved allegations that property was taken after Carpenter’s death. Caitlin and Karen eventually pleaded guilty to lesser offenses connected to events after the killing and received suspended prison sentences.
Carpenter was last seen alive on Nov. 30, 2022, after returning to his home in Tippah County from a grocery store trip. Investigators believe he was shot that evening with a shotgun, according to Tippah News.
His girlfriend, Caitlin, discovered his body on Dec. 2 near an outdoor storage area close to the garage. She called 911, and responding authorities found signs that the body had been moved from the garage area and concealed outside.
Investigators also found details that raised questions about a possible robbery. Carpenter’s truck was locked, groceries remained inside and his keys were still on him. He had $2,868 in cash on his person, but a satchel he regularly used to carry money and important documents was missing. The home’s exterior security cameras had also been disabled.
At the time of his death, Carpenter owned a precious metals and coin business. He was also the father of two children, including a daughter he shared with Caitlin.
The investigation continued for nearly a year before a new lead helped authorities move the case forward. In November 2023, David Barnes, a former employee of Carpenter’s who had been arrested on unrelated burglary charges, spoke with investigators about a conversation he said he had with Caitlin.
Barnes said Caitlin had told him that “things got out of hand and Jeff Spence killed Kirby.” Investigators later arrested Caitlin and her parents on Nov. 30, 2023, exactly one year after Carpenter’s death, WDAM reported.
The arrests brought the family’s connections to Carpenter under close scrutiny. Prosecutors pursued charges related to the killing, an alleged conspiracy, and missing property.
Spence’s first trial took place in September 2025 but ended in a mistrial after the jury split 6–6 and could not reach a verdict. The case went back to court in March 2026, giving prosecutors another chance to present their evidence.
Caitlin testified at both trials. In her testimony, she said her father had told her he returned to Mississippi on the day Carpenter was killed, despite previously saying he had returned to Virginia. She also described a conversation involving a package of drugs allegedly left on Carpenter’s property for resale.
Caitlin told jurors that her father had suggested he was responsible for Carpenter’s death. She also described changes in his behavior after the killing, saying he became “aggressive” and “short” with her. Her testimony became an important part of the prosecution’s case.
Another witness, Tracy Delp, testified that Spence had spoken about wanting Carpenter dead. According to Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Delp said Spence had complained about the way Carpenter treated Caitlin and expressed concern about how Carpenter might treat his granddaughter.
“He said he wanted him killed,” Delp said of Spence.
Delp also testified that Spence had asked him several times to kill Carpenter and offered him $5,000. The defense sought to weaken Delp’s credibility by pointing to his criminal record and history of drug addiction.
Spence’s other daughter, Carolyn Aguayo, also testified. She described the family as a “criminal family” and said she had called her parents “Bonnie and Clyde.” She also testified that her father had once talked about using a shotgun to kill someone because it would be easier to dispose of the evidence.
The defense challenged the prosecution’s account and tried to portray Carpenter as an abusive drug dealer. However, the second jury found Spence guilty of first-degree murder in late March 2026.
The jury did not find him guilty of capital murder or manslaughter. Judge John Kelly Luther then sentenced Spence to life in prison, ending the criminal trial with a punishment that followed the first-degree murder conviction.
Caitlin’s role in the case changed before her father’s retrial. In April 2025, she pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder. Under her agreement with prosecutors, she was required to testify against her parents.
After Spence’s conviction, Caitlin was sentenced on March 30, 2026, to 20 years in prison, with the full sentence suspended. She also received five years of supervised probation, per WTVA 9 News. A suspended sentence means the prison term is not served immediately, provided the person follows the conditions set by the court.
Karen Spence, Jeffrey’s wife and Caitlin’s mother, also reached a plea agreement. In September 2025, she entered an Alford plea to accessory after the fact to grand larceny. This type of plea allows a defendant to accept a conviction while not admitting guilt, while acknowledging that prosecutors have evidence that could lead to a conviction.
Prosecutors alleged that Karen helped Jeffrey obtain valuables taken from Carpenter’s property after his death. She received a 10-year prison sentence, fully suspended, and five years of unsupervised probation.
The case later received national television attention through “Dateline NBC.” The two-hour episode, The Betrayal of Kirby Carpenter, premiered on Oct. 16, with correspondent Andrea Canning reporting on the killing and the investigation that followed.
The episode examined how a death that initially appeared connected to a robbery developed into a case involving the victim’s girlfriend and her parents. It also brought attention to the two trials that ended with Spence’s conviction.
The case continues to draw attention because of the close family ties among the people involved, the financial motive argued by prosecutors and the testimony that helped secure the conviction.
Related: Amber Guyger killed neighbor Botham Jean in 2018 after entering his apartment by mistake; she is now free on parole after serving 7 of her 10-year sentence
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