Corpsewood Manor was a peaceful-looking home deep in a forest in Georgia. But on December 12, 1982, it became the place of a very strange and violent double murder. The people killed were the unusual owners, Charles L. Scudder and Joey Odom. They lived a very private life, building their home without electricity or water lines, and growing their own food.
Charles, a former professor, and Joey, a cook, lived a unique life at Corpsewood Manor. They made their own wine from grapes, made cheese, and even built their own furniture. Their home showed how much they wanted to be independent. The house was a “simple log cabin.” Even without modern things like electricity, it had a special charm. Charles was known for his peaceful life and his interest in the occult (dark magic or supernatural beliefs). He even said he was part of a satanic cult. He had many books about these topics. Both men were openly gay and called themselves “the homosexual devil-worshippers.”
The murders happened after Tony West and his nephew, Avery Brock, came to Corpsewood Manor on December 12, 1982. They had met Charles and Joey before. They knew the owners lived a private life but seemed to have a lot of cash and valuable things. Avery Brock had visited the house earlier. He thought Charles and Joey were rich. This idea seemed true when Charles casually mentioned he had about $200,000 from a small inheritance (money left to him).
Later, in court, it was said that Tony West and Avery Brock went into the house. At some point, Charles and Joey were taken to a “pink room” on the top floor of their chicken coop. There, Charles offered them his homemade wine. Things quickly got worse. Tony, who seemed drunk, started arguing with Charles. Charles tried to bite Tony to defend himself. Then, Avery, very angry, said he needed to get “more toot-a-lu from the car.” This was a scary way of saying he needed a weapon. He then got a shotgun and started shooting Charles and Joey.
During the investigation, terrible details about the murders came out. Charles was shot many times. Joey was killed along with two of their much-loved dogs. The bodies were left in the “pink room,” which was covered in blood. Charles and Joey’s bodies stayed there for days.
After the murders, Avery and Tony searched the house, looking for valuable items. But they surprisingly found very little to steal, besides Charles’s harp, which was too big for their car. They stole a Jeep and drove away, first to Mississippi, then to Georgia. In Georgia, they sold a car to a person named Kirby Key-Phelps.
On December 16, a neighbour named Raymond Williams told the police what happened. He was told by Teresa Hudgins, who took care of the grounds at Corpsewood Manor, that Charles and Joey had died. Teresa had gone back to the property and found blood in an office and the door partly open. She was worried about a person named Joey Wells, who was staying with her. So, she called the police.
Police searched for Avery and Tony across the whole country. They were caught in Chattanooga, Tennessee, four days later, on Christmas Eve. Avery admitted he was guilty and was given three life sentences, one after another. Tony said he was not guilty, but he was found guilty and also received three life sentences, one after another.
During the police investigation and court trials, upsetting new facts came out. Charles’s body showed signs of torture. His eyes were damaged, and he was bleeding from many gunshot wounds. It was also claimed that Avery wanted to kill Charles because he believed Charles was gay. This suggested the murders were driven by hate.
The Corpsewood Manor murders are still a dark part of true crime history. They were a terrible mix of private living, unusual behavior, and extreme violence. They left behind a frightening story in the quiet Georgia woods.
Reference:
- The True Crime File: Kim Daly
