The brutal murder of Genore Guillory

A Lucky Break

McKey and Odom caught up with the boyfriend, Donny Fisher, and braced him. Fisher was a 26-year-old doper, thief, and convicted armed robber. He knew the game and didn't want to talk.

McKey shuffled through the crime-scene photos and picked out the most gruesome ones: snapshots of Genore Guillory sprawled on the floor, thighs smeared with blood, head crushed beyond recognition.

McKey spread the pictures on a table in front of Fisher and pounded them with his fist. "Did she deserve this!" he shouted.

Donny Fisher told the detectives that he and his girlfriend had moved in with Phillip and Amy Skipper right after the murder.

Genore's family was still trying to get her house cleaned up. They hired Phillip Skipper, Donny Fisher, and 15-year-old John Baillio—whom Phillip referred to as his stepson—to help.

John Baillio

While they were inside Genore's house, Baillio told Fisher that he and Phillip Skipper and a guy named Johnny Hoyt had killed Genore Guillory. Baillio even described how they did it. He said they shot her, stabbed her, and beat her with a baseball bat. Then they took turns raping her.

Fisher told the detectives that later that night, after they were done working at Genore's house, Phillip Skipper got pissed at Baillio for spilling the beans about the murder. The next day, Phillip took Fisher for a ride in his pickup truck. They stopped on a deserted gravel road. Fisher was sure that Phillip was going to kill him on the spot.

Instead, Phillip confirmed John Baillio's story.

"What would you think if I told you we killed Ms. G?" Phillip said.

"I wouldn't think nothing," Fisher said. "You wouldn't trust me no more."

Phillip stopped the truck and stared at him. "Why wouldn't I trust you?"

The prospect of death again loomed large in Fisher's mind. He knew Phillip kept a gun in his truck. "You ain't going to kill me, huh?" he asked.

Phillip shook his head. "But if you ever say anything about it to anybody, just remember...God forgives, the brotherhood doesn't."