The Tragic Murder of Molly Watson: A Wedding Day That Never Came
Two days before her dream wedding, 35-year-old Molly Watson was tragically murdered on a desolate road in Monroe County, Missouri. Initially a shocking crime, it revealed a tale of betrayal. Molly had been with James Addie, a corrections officer, for about seven years, planning a Disney-themed wedding.
However, investigators discovered that Addie had been living a double life, remaining married to another woman, Melanie, and fathering two children. This article reviews the heartbreaking case, from the discovery of Molly’s body to the investigation that led to Addie’s conviction, highlighting the evidence against him and the red flags noticed by Molly’s loved ones too late.
The Night Molly Watson Was Discovered
On April 27, 2018, Glen McSparren **was taking a shortcut from his mother’s house in Monroe County, Missouri. He spotted something odd while driving down a dark backcountry gravel road flanked by woods. A car was pulled to the side, and as his headlights panned across the scene, he realized something horrifying.
“My headlights hit her body in front of the car,” McSparren later told police. “I saw her, and I swear my heart stopped… I knew she wasn’t moving.” What McSparren had discovered was Molly Watson’s corpse.
She had been shot once in the back of the head at close range. When he dialed 911, the dispatcher told him to check for a pulse, but McSparren already knew. “I looked her in the eyes, and I could see she wasn’t there anymore,” he said. The scene baffled the police.
This was no botched robbery — Molly still had her engagement ring on, and her purse hadn’t been touched. More revealing, police discovered a marriage license inside her vehicle. The document showed that Molly was supposed to marry James Addie two days later. McSparren also told police something significant. He had been on that very road earlier that night.
At that point, he had seen two cars and a short, older man. When McSparren inquired if anyone needed help, the man told him to go another way. Feeling uneasy about the encounter, McSparren opted to go back later – and that’s where he discovered Molly.
Who Was Molly Watson?
Molly Nicole Watson was born in Moberly, Mo., on December 15, 1982. She was raised in a loving household with her parents, Timothy E. and Sandi L. Watson, and her brother, Timothy E. Watson III, with whom she was extremely close.
Friends and family described Molly as bubbly and bright. She was not only lively but also intellectually blessed with a B.A. and M.A. degree in Psychology. Like most, Molly had been through her own difficulties in life.
She was married once before in her early 20s, but the marriage ended in divorce. During this time of struggle, she found herself pregnant with the love of her life, Declan Davis Johnson.
“Everything was centered around him,” said Amber Brady, who had been in a relationship with Molly. “She just wanted to give Declan everything that she could. Molly had many interests and talents.
She enjoyed singing and making costumes and even posted video diaries on YouTube. Her cousin Jodi Lindberg recalled how Molly looked forward to her wedding to James Addie. She had even purchased two wedding dresses because she couldn’t decide between the two to wear on her day.
Following her divorce, Molly dated her childhood friend Amber Brady for five years. However, their relationship soured when Molly got a job as a corrections officer at the Moberly Area Correctional Center and met James Addie. “I think she was 100 percent in love with him,” said Molly’s brother, Tim Watson, even if the family had concerns about Addie from the start.
The Double Life Of James Addie
James Addie seemed like a regular corrections officer at the Moberly Area Correctional Center, where he met Molly Watson. What Molly was unaware of was that Addie was leading a total double life.
Throughout the seven years he dated Molly, Addie was married to Melanie Addie, his wife of 23 and the mother of his two kids, Ben and Emma. He had kept both relationships separate, telling Molly his wife had died in a car accident having been taken off life support.
The deception was so elaborate that Addie would occasionally cancel wedding planning meetings, telling the wedding planner he had to make funeral arrangements. Phone records would later show Molly had Googled Melanie’s obituary — which led authorities to believe she might have become suspicious of his story.
Their wedding planner, Sam Cohen, observed how opposite the couple is. “It was going to be a beautiful wedding and the best day of her life from Molly’s viewpoint,” Cohen said. “James was sort of the opposite of Molly. He sat very still and didn’t show a lot of excitement. I assumed he was just a groom, along for the ride.”
Molly’s family members were apprehensive about Addie from the beginning. “He could never look you in the eye. He could never speak directly to you. Tim Watson said, “Everything was very evasive with him. “He radiated bad vibes to everyone.”
The lying persisted until the very last moment. On April 25, 2018, two days before Molly’s slaying, she and Addie visited the county recorder’s office to apply for a marriage license. Mark Price, the Randolph County recorder of deeds, recalled that Addie appeared “perturbed” by some standard questions about his previous marriages.
The Evidence That Cracked The Case
When police began looking into Molly Watson’s murder, they quickly set their sights on James Addie. Several evidentiary threads linked him to the crime:
They said tire impressions from the crime scene matched Addie’s vehicle and placed his car at the scene. But nearby, a t-shirt coated with blood would come back positive both for gunshot residue and for the DNA of Molly. Later, either Addie or her daughter scanned the shirt found back in the house.
Also, ammunition discovered in Addie’s home was consistent with that from an empty. 22 caliber round at the scene and a. Firearms identification specialists testified that the bullet recovered from Molly’s skull matched the bullets that Addie owned.
Phone records indicated Molly and James were on a 22-minute call the night she was killed, but Addie conveniently neglected to say what she was doing at that time. Text messages showed that Addie had scheduled to meet Molly the night she was killed.
It was a surprise to police when they responded to James Addie’s doorstep to tell him that Molly was dead, only to find that he was cohabitating with his spouse, Melanie Addie. She knew nothing of his relationship with Molly or their upcoming wedding.
Melanie went on to testify against her ex-husband at a trial. When asked whether she thought James could murder someone, she said, “He was a pretty selfish person… He could be controlling and intimidating… it could be challenging. It just seemed like something he would do to solve a problem.”
A forensic pathologist, Carl Stacy, testified that Molly had been shot at point-blank range, with the gun pressed against her scalp. Prosecutors called Addie’s actions cowardly, saying he had shot Molly without even looking her in the eye.
The Trial And Conviction
James Addie was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of Molly Watson after an extensive investigation. His trial started three years after the murder in April 2021. For days, prosecutors laid out the mountain of evidence tying Addie to the crime.
Testimony by a key witness, his daughter Emma, bolstered a case against him. On April 29, 2021 – three years to the day that Molly and James would have wed – Addie was found guilty on both charges by the jury.
He was sentenced on July 12, 2021, to life in prison without parole for the murder count, as well as an additional 10 years for a separate armed criminal action. Addie had pleaded not guilty throughout the proceedings. He did not testify in the trial but made a statement at his sentencing hearing.
In one bizarre twist, he read a love letter to Molly, the woman he had been found guilty of murdering. He also sought a new trial, asserting that his defense attorney was ineffective and did not present all the evidence to bolster his case. However, as he claimed, Addie’s innocence did not seem to be beyond reasonable doubt. He is now serving his sentence and appealing his conviction.
The Impact On Two Families
The murder of Molly Watson ripped through her family and friends. Her brother Tim Watson recalled the moment he was notified of her death: “You could hear the sorrow in his voice,” said Tim of the early morning call from their father on April 27.
Molly’s cousin Jodi Lindberg recalled Molly’s last text message to her, when she made an excuse for not coming to the wedding. “Little did I know that I would be going to her funeral that following week instead of her wedding,” she said.
The tragedy also had profound impacts on James Addie’s family. Melanie Addie and their children’s lives were turned upside down, finding out not only that James had been deceiving them for years but that he was capable of murder.
Molly Watson Blistersen walks with love and cold blood, which the nearest person sometimes harbors. Her death, only days before what would have been the happiest day of her life, still haunts her family, friends, and colleagues.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Was Molly Watson Murdered?
Molly Watson was killed on April 27, 2018, just two days before she was to wed James Addie.
How was Molly Watson killed?
Molly had been shot at close range once in the back of her head with a small caliber weapon, later identified as a.. 22 caliber gun.
How long did Molly date James Addie before her murder?
Molly had dated James for about seven years before she was killed.
Was James Addie married to another woman?
Yes, all the while James Addie was in a relationship with Molly, he was still married to his wife of 23 years, Melanie Addie, the mother of his two children.
What did James Addie have linking him to the murder?
Key evidence included matching tire tracks, ammunition similar to what was found at the crime scene, a bloody shirt containing Molly’s DNA, phone records showing they communicated on the night of the killing, and text messages that established plans for a meeting.
How long was James Addie sentenced to?
James Addie was sentenced to life in prison without parole for first-degree murder, followed by a consecutive 10 years for armed criminal action.
Final Words
The episodes cover the Murder of Molly Watson, highlighting the devastating effects of deceit and betrayal. One man’s lies took away a vibrant young mother from her family and young son. As loved ones grieve, they remember her bubbly personality and the dreams of a Disney-themed wedding that were cut short on that lonely gravel road in Monroe County.
James Addie’s double life and the horrific way he resolved his situation serve as a cautionary tale about hidden dangers in seemingly normal relationships. While he continues to claim innocence and seeks to appeal his conviction, Addie remains behind bars due to his own choices. Molly’s story is preserved through media coverage and true-crime shows like ABC’s “20/20,” helping others recognize warning signs before it’s too late.
Table of Contents