Staci Jones is campaigning to keep her ex-husband, former attorney Fred Wortman, behind bars as he nears a parole hearing. Wortman was sentenced to 30 years in 2015 for multiple attempts on Jones' life, including poisoning her toothpaste and hiring a hitman.
The aconitum poisoning and the TBI sting operation
The crimes committed by Fred Wortman were characterized by extreme premeditation and a willingness to use lethal substances. as reported by WREG, Wortman used a syringe to inject aconitum—a plant-based chemical that can cause death via heart paralysis—into the toothpaste used by Staci Jones and her children in their $400,000 home. After ingesting a small amount, Jones reported a burning sensation in her mouth followed by a severe migraine, while one of her children also beacme ill from the tainted product.
To secure a conviction,the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) conducted a sting operation where an agent posed as a professional hitman. According to the report, Wortman utilized a work computer to research methods for hiring a killer and poisoning a victim. He eventually paid the TBI agent and provided the home address of Staci Jones, while also leaving potential murder weapons around the residence.
A September 9 parole hearing looms for Fred Wortman
The legal battle for justice continues as Fred Wortman is scheduled to appear before a parole board on September 9. This upcoming hearing is particularly tense because Wortman's previous application for parole was denied in 2019, yet the possibility of his release remains a constant source of anxiety for his former family.
The 8,400 signatures fueling Staci Jones' campaign
In an effort to influence the parole board, Staci Jones has launcehd an online petition to ensure Wortman remains in prison. The petition has already gathered more than 8,400 signatures from individuals pleading for his continued incarceration. In the petition, Jones emphasizes that the crimes were "deliberate , calculated, and repeated," and that the trauma inflicted on her family remains deeply felt more than a decade later.
The campaign is not a solitary effort; Staci Jones' three children, who were young when their father attempted to kill their mother, have grown up to actively support her fight . They share her fear that Wortman’s release would pose a direct threat to their safety and the safety of the broader community.
Will Wortman target his three children upon release?
As the September hearing approaches, several critical questions regarding Fred Wortman's rehabilitation remain unanswered. The primary concern for Staci Jones is whether the former attorney has truly undergone a psychological shift. Speaking to WREG, Jones expressed her uncertainty, stating, "We don't know if he'll try again. he was pretty persistent before, and I don't know that he's changed."
Beyond the immediate threat to Jones, there is the unverified question of whether Wortman would attempt to contact his three children if he were to be released. Jones fears that his first instinct upon regaining freedom would be to reach out to the family he once targeted, leaving the community to wonder how the parole board will weigh his past calculated violence against his claims of reform.
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