Grand Jury Indicts Mary Rice For First Degree Murder

February 28, 2017

An Escambia County grand jury has indicted Mary Barbara Craig Rice for first degree murder in the death of Kayla Crocker in Beulah and accessory after the fact for the homicides of Alicia Greer and Jacqueline Moore at the Emerald Sands Inn in Santa Rosa County.

Crocker was found by her mother on February 6, 2017, with a gunshot wound to her head.  Rice is scheduled to make a first appearance in Santa Rosa County on March 1, 2017 and will be  arraigned on March 10, 2017 in Escambia County before Circuit Judge Joel Boles.

Rice was arrested after surrendering peacefully at Georgia hotel. She was an accused accomplice of quadruple murder suspect William “Billy” Boyette, who took his own life in Georgia rather than surrendering to authorities.

Comments

23 Responses to “Grand Jury Indicts Mary Rice For First Degree Murder”

  1. Billy Preston on March 5th, 2017 6:55 pm

    @ Cantonment

    If she was truly scared for her life if he ran from Boyette, she can offer that as a defense at trial. She can take the stand and testify and explain her reasons for participating in her crimes to a jury of her peers and hope they buy it. I’m betting that they don’t. Or she could offer that argument during the sentencing phase and hope the judge finds her fear of Boyette to be a mitigating factor in her role in the crimes committed. The judge can consider that argument when determining her sentence.

  2. Cantonment on March 4th, 2017 11:42 pm

    Well u guys r right in ways and I do see where
    Ur coming from. And kinda swerved my thought in the whole case but I’m just saying just maybe she was semi innocent

  3. David Huie Green on March 4th, 2017 11:20 am

    REGARDING:
    “Otherwise, you’re committing perjury and can be sent to prison.”

    Attorney General Sessions disputes this.
    (Actually, you can claim to have forgotten and it is hard to disprove.)

    David for honest people
    for a change

  4. Billy Preston on March 4th, 2017 12:40 am

    @Cantonment

    So what? Because MAYBE she was scared,we should they what? Turn her loose?Maybe they should give her a little blankie and a teddy bear and send her to some counseling after they let her walk out the door of the jailhouse. Or maybe they should do what’s gonna be done and wait for the judicial process to play out and let a jury decide if she’s guilty or not. By the way, if you should find yourself in the jury pool be sure you tell the court you’ve already decided to give her a walk because of your great theory basedon nothing more that emotion so the prosecution can strike you. Otherwise, you’re committing perjury and can be sent to prison.

  5. david lamb on March 3rd, 2017 6:07 pm

    @ Hoosier Daddy: What character , She has none!

  6. David Huie Green on March 3rd, 2017 9:32 am

    REGARDING:
    “Greer afraid for her life went into hiding and at that time Escambia County Sheriff Dept could not find her , Boyette was released after a year in jail, Boyette found Alicia Greer and her friend Jacqueline Moore and Mary Rice saw what happens when you cross Boyette, Escambia County Sheriff did not protect Alicia Greer and I am sure that Mary Rice felt that too”

    They could not protect her because they couldn’t in general or because she hid from them and forced his release by her hiding? I won’t blame them if she effectively cooperated with Boyette; this actually also led to all subsequent deaths — including her own.

    Too late for her but the rest of y’all take note: if you protect a killer out of fear, you enable that killer to kill. If you did your best to stop him and he still kills, others are responsible for dropping the ball.

    People died indirectly because of what Rice did, directly because of what Boyette did. To convict Rice, they have to convince a jury she was a willing participant in the following crimes. We don’t really know even though we do know there were times when he was not able to physically restrain her. Whether she was unwilling or happy to join in is up to the judicial system to determine.

    David for truth and justice
    in the absence of telepathy

  7. Brenda on March 3rd, 2017 1:42 am

    @ Cantonment: There are no simple minded people here. It’s reality when you decide to be an assistant to a murderer. You have two choices: Stay or Go. If my daughter or monster son did that to people, then I certainly believe they deserve what lies in their future as imprisonment or the chair. My heart hurts for the families and children of the women murdered including Rice’s. At least the children of Rice can visit her but not in the most upstanding environment. That was her choice. Not one photo showed the monster holding a weapon to her head to stay there. In the end at the hotel, she walks out (her choice) and he decided to save us taxpayers’ dollars.

  8. Cantonment on March 2nd, 2017 11:57 pm

    My point exactly Julie. And no billy I don’t got it all figured out .. I’m looking at the situation from all angles unlike you. Now if boyette is killing people left and right and hunted that one lady down and killed her . Now if I was mary I would be to scared to ask for help or try to run because if he’s killing people with no problem if she did try to Xscape she probably had a fear that he would kill her and the people and everyone around so her not try to get help. Saved more people in the end if that was the case so maybe u need to open it mind up more

  9. Cantonment on March 2nd, 2017 11:49 pm

    Thank u that’s exactly my point me Julie Pittman. So billy Preston maybe u should open ur mind a little more she probably was scared to death of that guy and when ur scared to death and he’s killing people with no problem . She wouldn’t even try to run from him why cuz he would have killed her and everyone around that would try n help so If ya think about it maybe she saved more lives for not trying to escape from him….

  10. Julie Pittman on March 2nd, 2017 8:45 pm

    One year ago Alicia Greer was beaten and attempted murder charges were filed against Billy Boyette but Greer afraid for her life went into hiding and at that time Escambia County Sheriff Dept could not find her , Boyette was released after a year in jail, Boyette found Alicia Greer and her friend Jacqueline Moore and Mary Rice saw what happens when you cross Boyette, Escambia County Sheriff did not protect Alicia Greer and I am sure that Mary Rice felt that too . , I feel that Mary did all she could to preserve her life and her family from Boyette, and she did a great job in accomplishing that, Boyette killed all those people , let’s not forget that, yes she was there when it happened and went to the store for him while he sat in the car with the gun and not sure if you heard about the burns and bruises on her body when she was detained. I think we should all just wait and think clearly about all of these things. I think it is horrible that she has to be in jail instead of receiving trauma counseling and I am sure she is even more traumatized by the fact that instead of being rescued from her captor that she is being held and charged for his murders but that’s the south for you. ECSD dropped the ball on this one big time, apparently Boyette is smarter and faster than them, he can find the first victim when they can’t to charge him in the first place , can elude them and kill 3 more, can kidnap and beat someone and they charge her with the murder, but ultimately it’s Boyette and he opted out , knowing that Mary Rice would hold the bag.

  11. Howie on March 2nd, 2017 11:06 am

    I’m glad Rice isn’t a daughter of mine. Matter of fact, she’s not anyone I know or want to know. Yes, she had plenty of chances to run or call police from Walmart. But we as outsiders don’t know how drugged she was. She was just following command from that devil she was with. Devil probably threatened her and her family, because that’s how they operate. They make a person fear for their life. By all means,. I totally agree she needs to spend her life in prison. Prison for being an accessory. We all need to be glad that the devil didn’t come out of that hotel room alive. He deserves nothing more but a “glad you’re in hell” hallelujah. Her complexion is scarred, but blaming that on something you really don’t know about is not nice. Because, my grdaughter’s face is scarred as that, and she doesn’t do drugs. Only the drugs to help clear her face slightly. Prayers for all the friends and families of the those murdered, the precious children of those murdered, and for Mary’s children too.

  12. Billy Preston on March 2nd, 2017 8:48 am

    Lady, you seem to have it all figured out. Poor ole Mary was too scared to make a run for it in Walmart? At the gas station? At Hardees? At the motel? Well, maybe you would like to sing her a lullaby when they put her to sleep for good.

  13. Cantonment on March 2nd, 2017 5:04 am

    It’s funny how all u people hate so much on the lady rice…. u simple minded people u have to look at it from all angles.. What if rice was your daughter and not the victims I’m sure ur mind set and opinions would be way different.so I’m not saying She’s innocent but I do see she could have had her reasons to stay quiet.

  14. Puddin from Beulah on March 1st, 2017 9:21 pm

    @Lady…..
    God only knows how you would feel if that were one of your children gunned down in cold blood by the heartless sick people. I am sure you would not be so quick to turn the other cheek! I hope that our justice system takes the sick girl and at the veey least puts her in a cell for the rest of her god given life.

  15. Hoosier Daddy on March 1st, 2017 7:27 pm

    @ Lady…..

    I’m pretty sure you could not make it onto the jury panel. But, the defense team would love to have you testify as a character witness.

  16. Lady on March 1st, 2017 10:53 am

    I know everyone feels this lady could have gotten a way to notify people she’s was being held without her consent but I feel she knew she was with a killer and she had been told what would happen to her if she let ANYONE know. Sure she went in these places but she was afraid he would kill her BEFORE they took him. I listened to the father of one of those ladies that were killed in the motel in Santa Rosa County and there is NO indications SHE was present in that room where they www killed. The father of one of the girls told the news reporter HE was his daughter’s boyfriend and HE tried to get his Daughter to leave the guy alone. I believe if I were on the jury I would look at the fear this lady went thru as he probably told her MANY times he would take her out if she made a false move. Don’t you know if he knew she was guilt as he was HE Would have killed her just before pulling the trigger on himself. God help the jury to look at all this BEFORE convicting her of these murders. HE was the one who KILLED. God is her only way. Sure she may have been a “druggee” and I hope all these people going down that road will turn to God and get out of this bondage.

  17. calvin qualls on March 1st, 2017 9:54 am

    This boyette man was a woman killer who knows what this woman was up against you all need to stop condemning people until you know what happen it a lot of people in jail for what someone thought let the wheel of justice turn. If shes guilty but what if she not guilty just saying

  18. David Huie Green on February 28th, 2017 10:19 pm

    REGARDING:
    “God does not like ugly…”

    HE loves me, so obviously ugly doesn’t sway HIM.

    (Lack of repentance from sin is another matter.)

    David with a loving Father

  19. willy on February 28th, 2017 9:37 pm

    God has a special place reserved for animals like this. She had multiple opportunities to stop the madness but kept feeding the fire. Now the fire will feed on her.

  20. tammy nichols on February 28th, 2017 7:36 pm

    God does not like ugly….her time is coming.she was there. ..she went shopping…bought bullets…she could have been rescued if she was a hostage….guilty as charged

  21. Grace on February 28th, 2017 7:26 pm

    What a coward he left her holding the bag by herself.

  22. mick on February 28th, 2017 6:02 pm

    She had plenty of opportunity to alert authorities to the scumbag,coward boyette – as he burns her time is coming.

  23. mike on February 28th, 2017 3:31 pm

    Man, meth does a number on your face, eh? Them ain’t acne scars. :(