Cause of death: homicide. She was killed by her husband Ernest Spears.
Tragedy Strikes
Ernest Spears grew up in southern Cumberland County surrounded by an extended family that included half-siblings, siblings, multiple aunts and uncles and other relatives, close and distant, that numbered in the 100’s. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Ernest was related by blood or marriage to everyone within five miles of Pea Ridge. Most of these relatives were either farmers or farmers’ wives.
Ernest was 18 years old when World War I broke out. There is a good likelihood that he volunteered to serve in the United States Army as soon as he could because he is not in the World War I draft registration, which was required of all military age males in the United States who were not in the military. The only males exempt from registration were those males already in the military. We also know from the 1930 federal census that he served in the military during World War I. However, that is all we know about his service.
Ernest may have still been in the military at the time of the 1920 federal census as he cannot be found in Cumberland County. Wherever he was in 1920, Ernest was back in Cumberland County by February 6, 1921, when he and the youthful Mary Etta Flowers crossed the state line to get married in Celina, the county seat of Clay County, TN. Ernest was then 23 years old and Mary Etta was either 15 or 16 years old, depending on the exact year of birth, but she was probably 16 years old.
Mary Etta attended Spears School with Ernest, although he was much older. Madie Spear Long had a document which is entitled "Record Book of the Teacher and Subdistrict Trustee." It is for the school year ending June 30, 1914. Mary E. Flowers is listed as a student and her date of birth is noted as January 16, 1906. Her date of birth is not firm as the date of birth on her death certificate is January 16, 1905. If the date of birth on her death certificate is correct, then Mary Etta was seven years younger than Ernest.
A family researcher on Ancestry.com believes that Mary Etta became pregnant and delivered a baby boy on February 6, 1924. The boy was named Willie Howard Spears. It is not known by me if the baby was born alive and then died on the same day or if the baby was stillborn. Whatever happened, this was the only child ever born to Ernest and Mary Etta.
According to Troy Spear, somewhere in 1927, she apparently became attracted to another man by the name of Res (Reese?) and she followed her heart and went to Indianapolis, Indiana, with the man. Ernest found out where she had gone and he went to Indianapolis to persuade her to return with him. Apparently, Ernest was successful as she came back to Cumberland County with him.
Unfortunately, she told friends she had no intention of staying, her luggage would only come as far as Burkesville, the county seat of Cumberland County, and she was going back to Indianapolis with it.
Everything indicated that the time Ernest and Mary spent together after her return was not conducive to a productive marriage. On Saturday, May 21, 1927, they left their home together and went westbound by wagon to a store operated by Grady Spears. The store was located "under the hill" and across the road from Spears School. The was once owned by Valentine "Bal" Spears and Ernest's half-brother Joe Godsby Spears, who had gone to Oklahoma with his family the year before. According to Madie Spear Long, Troy’s sister, Mary had gone to Grady's store to buy material to sew herself a green silk dress.
Grady normally kept a .32 caliber revolver under a counter in the store to protect himself if necessary. After Ernest and Mary left the store, he noticed that his revolver was missing. In the meantime, Ernest and Mary were on the road toward home.
They took the road east from Grady's store, passing by the home at the top of the hill that was once occupied by his half-brother Joe Godsby Spears. They continued further down Spears Cemetery Road in the direction of their house. According to Madie, Ernest and Mary Etta begin arguing before they reached home. Mary Etta told Ernest that she was leaving him and returning to Indianapolis.
Unfortunately, after the couple passed the road leading to the Spears Cemetery, several shots rang out. Those who heard the shots indicated that there were two weapons involved. One was a larger caliber than the other. The shots, which were in rapid succession, were heard by James Spear, the father of Madie Spear Long and Troy Spear, but he didn't think too much about it. Even though James Spear was her father, Madie said that James never told anyone in law enforcement about what he heard.
After several days, Henry Flowers, who lived nearby, came looking for his daughter. When he arrived at Ernest's house, which was located south of Spears Cemetery Road, Ernest was there. However, Ernest said that he had not seen her for several days. According to Madie Long, Henry Flowers apparently believed Ernest at first, but "Sis" Moore, a sister to Joe Godsby Spears, kept telling Henry to keep looking for her nearby. She was alleged to have made reference to buzzards circling in the area.
According to Troy Spear, Henry Flowers alerted law enforcement about the disappearance of his daughter and a search party was immediately formed. However, Madie Long indicated that law enforcement was not called in until after the body was found. In any case, Ernest apparently spent the entire time drunk in his home and he did not participate in the search.
On Tuesday, May 24, 1927, three days after she was shot, the body of Mary Etta Flowers Spears was found by John Flowers, Mary Etta's brother, at the bottom of an incline next to the road leading to the Spears Cemetery. There was a broken fence railing between the roadway and the place where Mary Etta's body was found. Near the body was the .32 caliber revolver belonging to Grady Spears. Mary Etta had been shot in the face and her body had partially decomposed because of the heat. A later autopsy revealed that she had been killed with bullets from Grady Spears’ .32 caliber revolver and from Ernest's .38 caliber revolver.
After the body was found, Henry Flowers was called to the scene. Also present was Ernest and Deputy Sheriff "Dock" Groce. Ernest was drunk, as usual, and he kept muttering, "I know her dress." As the three men stood together, Groce walked away, leaving Henry and Ernest alone together. It was obvious to everyone who was in the area that Groce was leaving the two men together so Henry could kill Ernest. However, Henry was a Christian and a very gentle man. As tempting as the tacit offer may have been, Henry declined to accept. When Deputy Sheriff Groce did not hear a shot within 30 minutes, he returned to where the two men were standing and arrrested Ernest for the murder of Mary Etta.
Ernest's family appears to have done everything they could to maintain a conspiracy of silence regarding the crime. After Joe Godsby Spears took his family to Oklahoma in 1926, his house was occupied by his son Joseph Mitchell Spears, known to everyone as Mitchell, and his wife, the former Estell Whitely. Madie indicated that there were footprints near the top of the ravine where Mary Etta's body was found. They were the footprints of a man and a woman. It was believed at the time that the footprints belonged to Mitchell and Estell and they knew the body was in the ravine because they saw Ernest put it there. Mitchell was a nephew of Ernest. Several members of the Spears family apparently went to Indianapolis to avoid being called as witnesses in any trial.
Ernest was later tried for the murder of Mary Etta Flowers Spears in Burkesville during the July 1928 Term and convicted of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 21 years of hard labor in state prison, where he was received on July 27, 1928. He was processed and given prison number 13407. If anyone thought Ernest was going to do 21 years in state prison, that person was going to be sadly mistaken. For reasons unknown, Governor Flem D. Sampson commuted Ernest's sentence on July 12, 1930, to 10 years. I learned from another case that the commutation was designed to speed up the parole process for any prisoner. It did for Ernest. His sentence expired on January 18, 1933, and he was discharged from state prison.
Ernest came back to the Pea Ridge area, married Dora B. Spears, the daughter of James Blaine Spears, on February 16, 1933, and lived out the rest of his years in the house his father built on the bottom land not far from where he murdered Mary Flowers. It is said that he spent the rest of his days drinking away the memories of his past. Mary Flowers was buried in Chestnut Grove.
It should be added that the death certificate is not made out in the name of Mary Spears. The name on the death certificate is Mary Etta Flowers and not Mary Etta Spears. At least in death she was no longer associated with the man she wanted to leave and who murdered her. The official date of death on the death certificate is May 21, 1927.
Tragedy Strikes
Ernest Spears grew up in southern Cumberland County surrounded by an extended family that included half-siblings, siblings, multiple aunts and uncles and other relatives, close and distant, that numbered in the 100’s. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Ernest was related by blood or marriage to everyone within five miles of Pea Ridge. Most of these relatives were either farmers or farmers’ wives.
Ernest was 18 years old when World War I broke out. There is a good likelihood that he volunteered to serve in the United States Army as soon as he could because he is not in the World War I draft registration, which was required of all military age males in the United States who were not in the military. The only males exempt from registration were those males already in the military. We also know from the 1930 federal census that he served in the military during World War I. However, that is all we know about his service.
Ernest may have still been in the military at the time of the 1920 federal census as he cannot be found in Cumberland County. Wherever he was in 1920, Ernest was back in Cumberland County by February 6, 1921, when he and the youthful Mary Etta Flowers crossed the state line to get married in Celina, the county seat of Clay County, TN. Ernest was then 23 years old and Mary Etta was either 15 or 16 years old, depending on the exact year of birth, but she was probably 16 years old.
Mary Etta attended Spears School with Ernest, although he was much older. Madie Spear Long had a document which is entitled "Record Book of the Teacher and Subdistrict Trustee." It is for the school year ending June 30, 1914. Mary E. Flowers is listed as a student and her date of birth is noted as January 16, 1906. Her date of birth is not firm as the date of birth on her death certificate is January 16, 1905. If the date of birth on her death certificate is correct, then Mary Etta was seven years younger than Ernest.
A family researcher on Ancestry.com believes that Mary Etta became pregnant and delivered a baby boy on February 6, 1924. The boy was named Willie Howard Spears. It is not known by me if the baby was born alive and then died on the same day or if the baby was stillborn. Whatever happened, this was the only child ever born to Ernest and Mary Etta.
According to Troy Spear, somewhere in 1927, she apparently became attracted to another man by the name of Res (Reese?) and she followed her heart and went to Indianapolis, Indiana, with the man. Ernest found out where she had gone and he went to Indianapolis to persuade her to return with him. Apparently, Ernest was successful as she came back to Cumberland County with him.
Unfortunately, she told friends she had no intention of staying, her luggage would only come as far as Burkesville, the county seat of Cumberland County, and she was going back to Indianapolis with it.
Everything indicated that the time Ernest and Mary spent together after her return was not conducive to a productive marriage. On Saturday, May 21, 1927, they left their home together and went westbound by wagon to a store operated by Grady Spears. The store was located "under the hill" and across the road from Spears School. The was once owned by Valentine "Bal" Spears and Ernest's half-brother Joe Godsby Spears, who had gone to Oklahoma with his family the year before. According to Madie Spear Long, Troy’s sister, Mary had gone to Grady's store to buy material to sew herself a green silk dress.
Grady normally kept a .32 caliber revolver under a counter in the store to protect himself if necessary. After Ernest and Mary left the store, he noticed that his revolver was missing. In the meantime, Ernest and Mary were on the road toward home.
They took the road east from Grady's store, passing by the home at the top of the hill that was once occupied by his half-brother Joe Godsby Spears. They continued further down Spears Cemetery Road in the direction of their house. According to Madie, Ernest and Mary Etta begin arguing before they reached home. Mary Etta told Ernest that she was leaving him and returning to Indianapolis.
Unfortunately, after the couple passed the road leading to the Spears Cemetery, several shots rang out. Those who heard the shots indicated that there were two weapons involved. One was a larger caliber than the other. The shots, which were in rapid succession, were heard by James Spear, the father of Madie Spear Long and Troy Spear, but he didn't think too much about it. Even though James Spear was her father, Madie said that James never told anyone in law enforcement about what he heard.
After several days, Henry Flowers, who lived nearby, came looking for his daughter. When he arrived at Ernest's house, which was located south of Spears Cemetery Road, Ernest was there. However, Ernest said that he had not seen her for several days. According to Madie Long, Henry Flowers apparently believed Ernest at first, but "Sis" Moore, a sister to Joe Godsby Spears, kept telling Henry to keep looking for her nearby. She was alleged to have made reference to buzzards circling in the area.
According to Troy Spear, Henry Flowers alerted law enforcement about the disappearance of his daughter and a search party was immediately formed. However, Madie Long indicated that law enforcement was not called in until after the body was found. In any case, Ernest apparently spent the entire time drunk in his home and he did not participate in the search.
On Tuesday, May 24, 1927, three days after she was shot, the body of Mary Etta Flowers Spears was found by John Flowers, Mary Etta's brother, at the bottom of an incline next to the road leading to the Spears Cemetery. There was a broken fence railing between the roadway and the place where Mary Etta's body was found. Near the body was the .32 caliber revolver belonging to Grady Spears. Mary Etta had been shot in the face and her body had partially decomposed because of the heat. A later autopsy revealed that she had been killed with bullets from Grady Spears’ .32 caliber revolver and from Ernest's .38 caliber revolver.
After the body was found, Henry Flowers was called to the scene. Also present was Ernest and Deputy Sheriff "Dock" Groce. Ernest was drunk, as usual, and he kept muttering, "I know her dress." As the three men stood together, Groce walked away, leaving Henry and Ernest alone together. It was obvious to everyone who was in the area that Groce was leaving the two men together so Henry could kill Ernest. However, Henry was a Christian and a very gentle man. As tempting as the tacit offer may have been, Henry declined to accept. When Deputy Sheriff Groce did not hear a shot within 30 minutes, he returned to where the two men were standing and arrrested Ernest for the murder of Mary Etta.
Ernest's family appears to have done everything they could to maintain a conspiracy of silence regarding the crime. After Joe Godsby Spears took his family to Oklahoma in 1926, his house was occupied by his son Joseph Mitchell Spears, known to everyone as Mitchell, and his wife, the former Estell Whitely. Madie indicated that there were footprints near the top of the ravine where Mary Etta's body was found. They were the footprints of a man and a woman. It was believed at the time that the footprints belonged to Mitchell and Estell and they knew the body was in the ravine because they saw Ernest put it there. Mitchell was a nephew of Ernest. Several members of the Spears family apparently went to Indianapolis to avoid being called as witnesses in any trial.
Ernest was later tried for the murder of Mary Etta Flowers Spears in Burkesville during the July 1928 Term and convicted of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 21 years of hard labor in state prison, where he was received on July 27, 1928. He was processed and given prison number 13407. If anyone thought Ernest was going to do 21 years in state prison, that person was going to be sadly mistaken. For reasons unknown, Governor Flem D. Sampson commuted Ernest's sentence on July 12, 1930, to 10 years. I learned from another case that the commutation was designed to speed up the parole process for any prisoner. It did for Ernest. His sentence expired on January 18, 1933, and he was discharged from state prison.
Ernest came back to the Pea Ridge area, married Dora B. Spears, the daughter of James Blaine Spears, on February 16, 1933, and lived out the rest of his years in the house his father built on the bottom land not far from where he murdered Mary Flowers. It is said that he spent the rest of his days drinking away the memories of his past. Mary Flowers was buried in Chestnut Grove.
It should be added that the death certificate is not made out in the name of Mary Spears. The name on the death certificate is Mary Etta Flowers and not Mary Etta Spears. At least in death she was no longer associated with the man she wanted to leave and who murdered her. The official date of death on the death certificate is May 21, 1927.
Cause of death: homicide. She was killed by her husband Ernest Spears.
Tragedy Strikes
Ernest Spears grew up in southern Cumberland County surrounded by an extended family that included half-siblings, siblings, multiple aunts and uncles and other relatives, close and distant, that numbered in the 100’s. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Ernest was related by blood or marriage to everyone within five miles of Pea Ridge. Most of these relatives were either farmers or farmers’ wives.
Ernest was 18 years old when World War I broke out. There is a good likelihood that he volunteered to serve in the United States Army as soon as he could because he is not in the World War I draft registration, which was required of all military age males in the United States who were not in the military. The only males exempt from registration were those males already in the military. We also know from the 1930 federal census that he served in the military during World War I. However, that is all we know about his service.
Ernest may have still been in the military at the time of the 1920 federal census as he cannot be found in Cumberland County. Wherever he was in 1920, Ernest was back in Cumberland County by February 6, 1921, when he and the youthful Mary Etta Flowers crossed the state line to get married in Celina, the county seat of Clay County, TN. Ernest was then 23 years old and Mary Etta was either 15 or 16 years old, depending on the exact year of birth, but she was probably 16 years old.
Mary Etta attended Spears School with Ernest, although he was much older. Madie Spear Long had a document which is entitled "Record Book of the Teacher and Subdistrict Trustee." It is for the school year ending June 30, 1914. Mary E. Flowers is listed as a student and her date of birth is noted as January 16, 1906. Her date of birth is not firm as the date of birth on her death certificate is January 16, 1905. If the date of birth on her death certificate is correct, then Mary Etta was seven years younger than Ernest.
A family researcher on Ancestry.com believes that Mary Etta became pregnant and delivered a baby boy on February 6, 1924. The boy was named Willie Howard Spears. It is not known by me if the baby was born alive and then died on the same day or if the baby was stillborn. Whatever happened, this was the only child ever born to Ernest and Mary Etta.
According to Troy Spear, somewhere in 1927, she apparently became attracted to another man by the name of Res (Reese?) and she followed her heart and went to Indianapolis, Indiana, with the man. Ernest found out where she had gone and he went to Indianapolis to persuade her to return with him. Apparently, Ernest was successful as she came back to Cumberland County with him.
Unfortunately, she told friends she had no intention of staying, her luggage would only come as far as Burkesville, the county seat of Cumberland County, and she was going back to Indianapolis with it.
Everything indicated that the time Ernest and Mary spent together after her return was not conducive to a productive marriage. On Saturday, May 21, 1927, they left their home together and went westbound by wagon to a store operated by Grady Spears. The store was located "under the hill" and across the road from Spears School. The was once owned by Valentine "Bal" Spears and Ernest's half-brother Joe Godsby Spears, who had gone to Oklahoma with his family the year before. According to Madie Spear Long, Troy’s sister, Mary had gone to Grady's store to buy material to sew herself a green silk dress.
Grady normally kept a .32 caliber revolver under a counter in the store to protect himself if necessary. After Ernest and Mary left the store, he noticed that his revolver was missing. In the meantime, Ernest and Mary were on the road toward home.
They took the road east from Grady's store, passing by the home at the top of the hill that was once occupied by his half-brother Joe Godsby Spears. They continued further down Spears Cemetery Road in the direction of their house. According to Madie, Ernest and Mary Etta begin arguing before they reached home. Mary Etta told Ernest that she was leaving him and returning to Indianapolis.
Unfortunately, after the couple passed the road leading to the Spears Cemetery, several shots rang out. Those who heard the shots indicated that there were two weapons involved. One was a larger caliber than the other. The shots, which were in rapid succession, were heard by James Spear, the father of Madie Spear Long and Troy Spear, but he didn't think too much about it. Even though James Spear was her father, Madie said that James never told anyone in law enforcement about what he heard.
After several days, Henry Flowers, who lived nearby, came looking for his daughter. When he arrived at Ernest's house, which was located south of Spears Cemetery Road, Ernest was there. However, Ernest said that he had not seen her for several days. According to Madie Long, Henry Flowers apparently believed Ernest at first, but "Sis" Moore, a sister to Joe Godsby Spears, kept telling Henry to keep looking for her nearby. She was alleged to have made reference to buzzards circling in the area.
According to Troy Spear, Henry Flowers alerted law enforcement about the disappearance of his daughter and a search party was immediately formed. However, Madie Long indicated that law enforcement was not called in until after the body was found. In any case, Ernest apparently spent the entire time drunk in his home and he did not participate in the search.
On Tuesday, May 24, 1927, three days after she was shot, the body of Mary Etta Flowers Spears was found by John Flowers, Mary Etta's brother, at the bottom of an incline next to the road leading to the Spears Cemetery. There was a broken fence railing between the roadway and the place where Mary Etta's body was found. Near the body was the .32 caliber revolver belonging to Grady Spears. Mary Etta had been shot in the face and her body had partially decomposed because of the heat. A later autopsy revealed that she had been killed with bullets from Grady Spears’ .32 caliber revolver and from Ernest's .38 caliber revolver.
After the body was found, Henry Flowers was called to the scene. Also present was Ernest and Deputy Sheriff "Dock" Groce. Ernest was drunk, as usual, and he kept muttering, "I know her dress." As the three men stood together, Groce walked away, leaving Henry and Ernest alone together. It was obvious to everyone who was in the area that Groce was leaving the two men together so Henry could kill Ernest. However, Henry was a Christian and a very gentle man. As tempting as the tacit offer may have been, Henry declined to accept. When Deputy Sheriff Groce did not hear a shot within 30 minutes, he returned to where the two men were standing and arrrested Ernest for the murder of Mary Etta.
Ernest's family appears to have done everything they could to maintain a conspiracy of silence regarding the crime. After Joe Godsby Spears took his family to Oklahoma in 1926, his house was occupied by his son Joseph Mitchell Spears, known to everyone as Mitchell, and his wife, the former Estell Whitely. Madie indicated that there were footprints near the top of the ravine where Mary Etta's body was found. They were the footprints of a man and a woman. It was believed at the time that the footprints belonged to Mitchell and Estell and they knew the body was in the ravine because they saw Ernest put it there. Mitchell was a nephew of Ernest. Several members of the Spears family apparently went to Indianapolis to avoid being called as witnesses in any trial.
Ernest was later tried for the murder of Mary Etta Flowers Spears in Burkesville during the July 1928 Term and convicted of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 21 years of hard labor in state prison, where he was received on July 27, 1928. He was processed and given prison number 13407. If anyone thought Ernest was going to do 21 years in state prison, that person was going to be sadly mistaken. For reasons unknown, Governor Flem D. Sampson commuted Ernest's sentence on July 12, 1930, to 10 years. I learned from another case that the commutation was designed to speed up the parole process for any prisoner. It did for Ernest. His sentence expired on January 18, 1933, and he was discharged from state prison.
Ernest came back to the Pea Ridge area, married Dora B. Spears, the daughter of James Blaine Spears, on February 16, 1933, and lived out the rest of his years in the house his father built on the bottom land not far from where he murdered Mary Flowers. It is said that he spent the rest of his days drinking away the memories of his past. Mary Flowers was buried in Chestnut Grove.
It should be added that the death certificate is not made out in the name of Mary Spears. The name on the death certificate is Mary Etta Flowers and not Mary Etta Spears. At least in death she was no longer associated with the man she wanted to leave and who murdered her. The official date of death on the death certificate is May 21, 1927.
Tragedy Strikes
Ernest Spears grew up in southern Cumberland County surrounded by an extended family that included half-siblings, siblings, multiple aunts and uncles and other relatives, close and distant, that numbered in the 100’s. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Ernest was related by blood or marriage to everyone within five miles of Pea Ridge. Most of these relatives were either farmers or farmers’ wives.
Ernest was 18 years old when World War I broke out. There is a good likelihood that he volunteered to serve in the United States Army as soon as he could because he is not in the World War I draft registration, which was required of all military age males in the United States who were not in the military. The only males exempt from registration were those males already in the military. We also know from the 1930 federal census that he served in the military during World War I. However, that is all we know about his service.
Ernest may have still been in the military at the time of the 1920 federal census as he cannot be found in Cumberland County. Wherever he was in 1920, Ernest was back in Cumberland County by February 6, 1921, when he and the youthful Mary Etta Flowers crossed the state line to get married in Celina, the county seat of Clay County, TN. Ernest was then 23 years old and Mary Etta was either 15 or 16 years old, depending on the exact year of birth, but she was probably 16 years old.
Mary Etta attended Spears School with Ernest, although he was much older. Madie Spear Long had a document which is entitled "Record Book of the Teacher and Subdistrict Trustee." It is for the school year ending June 30, 1914. Mary E. Flowers is listed as a student and her date of birth is noted as January 16, 1906. Her date of birth is not firm as the date of birth on her death certificate is January 16, 1905. If the date of birth on her death certificate is correct, then Mary Etta was seven years younger than Ernest.
A family researcher on Ancestry.com believes that Mary Etta became pregnant and delivered a baby boy on February 6, 1924. The boy was named Willie Howard Spears. It is not known by me if the baby was born alive and then died on the same day or if the baby was stillborn. Whatever happened, this was the only child ever born to Ernest and Mary Etta.
According to Troy Spear, somewhere in 1927, she apparently became attracted to another man by the name of Res (Reese?) and she followed her heart and went to Indianapolis, Indiana, with the man. Ernest found out where she had gone and he went to Indianapolis to persuade her to return with him. Apparently, Ernest was successful as she came back to Cumberland County with him.
Unfortunately, she told friends she had no intention of staying, her luggage would only come as far as Burkesville, the county seat of Cumberland County, and she was going back to Indianapolis with it.
Everything indicated that the time Ernest and Mary spent together after her return was not conducive to a productive marriage. On Saturday, May 21, 1927, they left their home together and went westbound by wagon to a store operated by Grady Spears. The store was located "under the hill" and across the road from Spears School. The was once owned by Valentine "Bal" Spears and Ernest's half-brother Joe Godsby Spears, who had gone to Oklahoma with his family the year before. According to Madie Spear Long, Troy’s sister, Mary had gone to Grady's store to buy material to sew herself a green silk dress.
Grady normally kept a .32 caliber revolver under a counter in the store to protect himself if necessary. After Ernest and Mary left the store, he noticed that his revolver was missing. In the meantime, Ernest and Mary were on the road toward home.
They took the road east from Grady's store, passing by the home at the top of the hill that was once occupied by his half-brother Joe Godsby Spears. They continued further down Spears Cemetery Road in the direction of their house. According to Madie, Ernest and Mary Etta begin arguing before they reached home. Mary Etta told Ernest that she was leaving him and returning to Indianapolis.
Unfortunately, after the couple passed the road leading to the Spears Cemetery, several shots rang out. Those who heard the shots indicated that there were two weapons involved. One was a larger caliber than the other. The shots, which were in rapid succession, were heard by James Spear, the father of Madie Spear Long and Troy Spear, but he didn't think too much about it. Even though James Spear was her father, Madie said that James never told anyone in law enforcement about what he heard.
After several days, Henry Flowers, who lived nearby, came looking for his daughter. When he arrived at Ernest's house, which was located south of Spears Cemetery Road, Ernest was there. However, Ernest said that he had not seen her for several days. According to Madie Long, Henry Flowers apparently believed Ernest at first, but "Sis" Moore, a sister to Joe Godsby Spears, kept telling Henry to keep looking for her nearby. She was alleged to have made reference to buzzards circling in the area.
According to Troy Spear, Henry Flowers alerted law enforcement about the disappearance of his daughter and a search party was immediately formed. However, Madie Long indicated that law enforcement was not called in until after the body was found. In any case, Ernest apparently spent the entire time drunk in his home and he did not participate in the search.
On Tuesday, May 24, 1927, three days after she was shot, the body of Mary Etta Flowers Spears was found by John Flowers, Mary Etta's brother, at the bottom of an incline next to the road leading to the Spears Cemetery. There was a broken fence railing between the roadway and the place where Mary Etta's body was found. Near the body was the .32 caliber revolver belonging to Grady Spears. Mary Etta had been shot in the face and her body had partially decomposed because of the heat. A later autopsy revealed that she had been killed with bullets from Grady Spears’ .32 caliber revolver and from Ernest's .38 caliber revolver.
After the body was found, Henry Flowers was called to the scene. Also present was Ernest and Deputy Sheriff "Dock" Groce. Ernest was drunk, as usual, and he kept muttering, "I know her dress." As the three men stood together, Groce walked away, leaving Henry and Ernest alone together. It was obvious to everyone who was in the area that Groce was leaving the two men together so Henry could kill Ernest. However, Henry was a Christian and a very gentle man. As tempting as the tacit offer may have been, Henry declined to accept. When Deputy Sheriff Groce did not hear a shot within 30 minutes, he returned to where the two men were standing and arrrested Ernest for the murder of Mary Etta.
Ernest's family appears to have done everything they could to maintain a conspiracy of silence regarding the crime. After Joe Godsby Spears took his family to Oklahoma in 1926, his house was occupied by his son Joseph Mitchell Spears, known to everyone as Mitchell, and his wife, the former Estell Whitely. Madie indicated that there were footprints near the top of the ravine where Mary Etta's body was found. They were the footprints of a man and a woman. It was believed at the time that the footprints belonged to Mitchell and Estell and they knew the body was in the ravine because they saw Ernest put it there. Mitchell was a nephew of Ernest. Several members of the Spears family apparently went to Indianapolis to avoid being called as witnesses in any trial.
Ernest was later tried for the murder of Mary Etta Flowers Spears in Burkesville during the July 1928 Term and convicted of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 21 years of hard labor in state prison, where he was received on July 27, 1928. He was processed and given prison number 13407. If anyone thought Ernest was going to do 21 years in state prison, that person was going to be sadly mistaken. For reasons unknown, Governor Flem D. Sampson commuted Ernest's sentence on July 12, 1930, to 10 years. I learned from another case that the commutation was designed to speed up the parole process for any prisoner. It did for Ernest. His sentence expired on January 18, 1933, and he was discharged from state prison.
Ernest came back to the Pea Ridge area, married Dora B. Spears, the daughter of James Blaine Spears, on February 16, 1933, and lived out the rest of his years in the house his father built on the bottom land not far from where he murdered Mary Flowers. It is said that he spent the rest of his days drinking away the memories of his past. Mary Flowers was buried in Chestnut Grove.
It should be added that the death certificate is not made out in the name of Mary Spears. The name on the death certificate is Mary Etta Flowers and not Mary Etta Spears. At least in death she was no longer associated with the man she wanted to leave and who murdered her. The official date of death on the death certificate is May 21, 1927.
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