Small Town Murder {complete}

Leaving and starting over

Stevie Jo had been married to Herman Gehl, and they had two children (a girl and a boy). Things weren't exactly going well for them. Herman had always had a very bad temper and a complex that he was better than everyone, and would not take no for an answer. Stevie Jo had eventually decided to leave Herman and take their children with her, for the safety of her and the children. When Stevie left it pushed Herman over the edge and he refused to let go, especially of their son because he knew that was how he could get to her. She moved back in with her parent's. Herman still made attempts to make her come back home, and this continued for about a year. They had been fighting over custody of their son for 14 years.

Within that year she met Billy Joe, and they soon became friends. They continued to see each other for about six months before they decided to start dating, all while she is still living with her parent's. A few months later Herman found out that Stevie and Billy were dating and started an altercation with Billy in a grocery store parking lot, pulling a knife on Billy and threatening his life if he didn't leave "family" alone. Billy informed him that he did not plan on leaving Stevie just because Herman had threatened him, he soon pulled a knife out and Herman cut his arm with the knife. The cops soon showed up, but neither man was arrested or charged with a crime. This was not the last time that they had an encounter or a confrontation, Herman actually ran into him again but this time Herman had a gun and was high on meth. The police arrested Herman this time, but his charges were dismissed.

After the altercation Stevie and Billy decided it would be in the best interest for them to get a protective order to make sure this didn't happen again. They made sure that they put it in effect for her parent's house and Billy's house, so that Herman couldn't come within so many yards of them or call and harass them. Things started to look up for them as Stevie Jo and the children soon moved into Billy's home with him, and they decided to get married. They had been together for almost two years when they got married in 2008. 

Less than a year after they got married Billy Joe's son, William Tracy, got married to Amber Hudson, on Valentine's day in 2009. Later that year Billy became a grandpa to Vanessa Tracy, and he thought the world of his granddaughter. William, Amber, and Vanessa moved to be closer to Billy so they could all spend some more time together as a family. They spent birthdays and holidays together every year with Billy Joe's parents and close family and friends.