Death Sentence
Jerry Bledsoe
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
1970s · North Carolina
Velma Barfield
Multiple & serial murders
Velma Barfield poisoned Stuart Taylor with arsenic in North Carolina in 1978. The investigation led to admissions about other deaths connected to her. Books and reporting examine the killings, her trial, and the debate surrounding her execution in 1984.
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The Story
When1970s
WhereNorth Carolina
In this collection28 resources
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World’s Most Evil Killers — Velma Barfield (S6 E18)
Apple TV
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CASEWATCH — Velma Barfield (Episode 71)
Apple Podcasts
An audio option for exploring this case while listening.
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Blogs & Essays
Read our articles here and explore outside perspectives, credited to their writers and publications. See this case in the Journal →
From the journal
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Blogs & essays
2 itemsAbout these sources
Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
Medium · Murder Mystery And Mayhem In The Old North State · Blog / essay
Velma Barfield the “Death Row Granny”
An outside blog or essay discussing Velma Barfield. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription. Publisher access could not be checked directly; this article is indexed in search.
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True Crime Stories · Blog / essay
Margie "Velma" Barfield
An outside blog or essay discussing Velma Barfield. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
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Books
CONTINUE YOUR READING
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Books
1 itemsJerry Bledsoe
Death Sentence
Book-length account or personal perspective. This link provides bibliographic details; compare the author’s account with reporting and records.
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Movies & TV
Movies
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TV & documentaries
3 itemsAbout these sources
Episodes, documentaries and title listings. Season and episode numbers follow the linked catalog and can differ by service. Air dates are separate from crime dates. Playback availability varies by service and region.
Apple TV
World’s Most Evil Killers — Velma Barfield (S6 E18)
Nonfiction screen coverage of this case. The linked page identifies the program or episode; playback, subscriptions, and regional availability vary.
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Search Amazon · paid linkViewing options & episode details
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · TV episode
World's Most Evil Killers — Velma Barfield (2021)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Velma Barfield case. Listed release: 2021. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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IMDb · TV episode
American Justice — Death Row Women (1996)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Velma Barfield case. Listed release: 1996. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
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Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
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Audiobooks
Listen to a book connected to this story. Each edition below is matched to its author and audiobook source.
Audiobook
Death Sentence: The True Story of Velma Barfield's Life, Crimes, and Punishment
Unabridged
Audio edition verified at the linked source. The Amazon button is a title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed.
Edition checked 2026-10-12
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
No verified fictional adaptation or inspiration has been identified in this collection. Nonfiction coverage is listed in the other media sections.
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Podcasts
Podcasts
14 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
Apple Podcasts
CASEWATCH — Velma Barfield (Episode 71)
Direct episode page for this case or its screen adaptation. Open it for listening options and the publisher’s episode notes.
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Morbid
Velma Barfield
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released December 18, 2023. About 131 minutes.
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Criminalia
Velma Barfield: Death Row Granny or Just Mama Margie?
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released November 24, 2020. About 26 minutes.
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Lights Out
Church-Going Grandma Ends Up On Death Row For Her Evil Crimes... The Shocking Velma Barfield Case
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released February 2, 2024. About 91 minutes.
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The Casual Criminalist
Velma Barfield: The Death-Row Granny
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released December 10, 2025. About 60 minutes.
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Ray William Johnson: True Story Podcast
She Killed Both Her Husbands - The Velma Barfield Story
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released November 19, 2025. About 9 minutes.
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Show 8 more podcasts
LOVE MURDER
Death Row Granny: Serial Killer Velma Barfield
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released May 24, 2023. About 111 minutes.
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Crack House Chronicles
Ep. 37 Velma Barfield
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released May 11, 2020. About 37 minutes.
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Addicted to Murder Podcast: A True Crime Experience
Velma Barfield Part 4 AKA "The Death Row Granny"
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released July 2, 2024. About 31 minutes.
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Come Closer
Velma Barfield: History's First Female Lethal Injection
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released June 4, 2026. About 26 minutes.
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Inhuman: A True Crime Podcast
Episode 249: Velma Barfield
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released October 5, 2023. About 55 minutes.
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Til Death Do Us Part
Velma Barfield - First Woman to Die by Lethal Injection
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released December 10, 2025. About 40 minutes.
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Corpus Delicti
292: Hell Has No Fury: Velma Barfield
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released August 5, 2026. About 40 minutes.
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Historical True Crime
Velma Barfield: Death Row's First Female
Podcast coverage of the Velma Barfield case. Released May 31, 2024. About 18 minutes.
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Social Media
BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
4 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
OverDrive · Library Access
Death Sentence — Audiobook
Jerry Bledsoe. Related reading for Velma Barfield. Check participating libraries for this edition. Borrowing requires an eligible library card; availability and waits vary.
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OverDrive · Library Access
Death Sentence — Ebook
Jerry Bledsoe. Related reading for Velma Barfield. This library catalog lists the edition. Borrowing depends on membership in that library and current availability.
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Open Library · Catalog / Availability
Death Sentence by Jerry Bledsoe
Bibliographic record for related reading. Check the edition page for previews, lending and other access options; full text has not been confirmed.
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
Death Sentence
Related book record. Google may offer selected pages or another edition; full-book access is not confirmed.
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Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
1 itemsThe News & Observer
Reporting on Velma Barfield
Linked reporting or commentary. Read the source date for its historical context; access may require a subscription.
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Newspaper clippings
2 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
The Los Angeles Times · 1984-09-19 · Page 1
Clemency debate before Barfield's execution
A profile examines Velma Barfield's imprisonment and the competing appeals to North Carolina's governor over her scheduled execution.
Historical profile and clemency coverage; continued on another page.
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Read the original at Newspapers.com. Access and subscription requirements are set by the archive.
Open full clipping at Newspapers.comMore from the newspaper archive
Continue with these dated reports on Newspapers.com.
The Charlotte Observer · 1985-07-05 · Page 8
New book recounts Barfield's life
A newspaper feature discusses Woman on Death Row and the account Barfield wrote during the final month of her life.
The book's personal recollections and allegations are attributed to Barfield. The article continues elsewhere.
Read this article on Newspapers.comKeep following the newspaper trail.
Search original reporting, follow the trial, and compare how newspapers covered the case over time.
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Internet Archive
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Court opinionArchive copy
Barfield v. Harris — federal habeas decision
A federal district court’s historical review of Velma Barfield’s habeas challenge following her North Carolina murder conviction.
- Court / agency
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- Document date
- 1982
- Case / citation
- 82-245-HC
- Hosted by
- Justia
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
4 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
FilmRise True Crime
World's Most Evil Killers - Season 6, Episode 18 - Velma Barfield - Full Episode
Full episode or film as labeled by the publisher from FilmRise True Crime covering the Velma Barfield case. Length: 44:38.
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The Casual Criminalist
Velma Barfield: The Death-Row Granny
Video from The Casual Criminalist covering the Velma Barfield case. Length: 52:57.
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Morbid | Podcast
Velma Barfield | Morbid | Podcast
Video from Morbid | Podcast covering the Velma Barfield case. Length: 2:10:02.
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TikTok · Creator channel
Lights Out — TikTok channel
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Church-Going Grandma Ends Up On Death Row For Her Evil Crimes... The Shocking Velma Barfield Case.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
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