“My intention is to get this case off the ground on March 1, 2027, whether it’s in this county or one of the other 158 counties in Georgia,” said Superior Court Judge Andy Spivey on Tuesday afternoon following the conclusion of motion hearings in the Jon Worrell case. Worrell stands accused of orchestrating the murder of his wife, Doris Worrell, on September 20, 2006, at Jon’s Sports Park in Douglas.
The GBI arrested and charged Worrell with malice murder, felony murder, and conspiracy to commit murder in May of 2025. Worrell, who was a resident of Maryville, Missouri at the time of his arrest, was transported to the Coffee County Jail and has been incarcerated ever since.
Judge Spivey entertained several motions related to the case on Tuesday, the most significant of which was a change of venue motion. Worrell’s attorneys have petitioned the court to move the trial out of Coffee County.
The defense argued that because of media coverage surrounding the case, a fair and impartial jury could not be seated in Coffee County. The defense presented as evidence a large file outlining media coverage and community commentary from local news outlets and message boards, including the infamous Topix forum that had a presence in Coffee County over two decades ago.
The prosecution asked Judge Spivey to deny the motion.
Judge Spivey did not rule on the motion Tuesday, saying that he would take the mattert under advisement and make a decision at a later date.
Jury selection in Worrell’s trial is set for March 1, 2027.
