(Whiteville, TN) It’s been a year since one of the Mid-South’s most tragic kidnapping cases ended.
It started in Hardeman County, TN and ended in Guntown Mississippi when two sisters walked out of the woods alive after their captor Adam Mayes killed himself.
One year later, the people of Whiteville say they just want to let the little girls move on with their lives.
In fact, we went to their restaurant and the owner says he really tries to make the place a safe haven for them.
They say the Bain girls love the barbecue there but people were hesitant to talk about them knowing what happened a year ago.
“It’s too close to home,” said one man.
“I the ones that got killed,” said Patricia Carter, who runs an antique shop around the corner from the restaurant.
Carter says she once lived next door to Jo Ann and Adrienne Bain, the mother and daughter murdered by Mayes who then kidnapped Jo Ann’s younger daughters, Alexandria and Kyliyah.
“I was wondering where they were, what happened, why?” said Carter.
Justin Ridley went to school with Adrienne, before she and her mom were found buried in Mayes’ mother’s backyard.
“People were devastated and mad at that guy and wishing they could do stuff to him,” said now 18-Year-Old Carter.
Law enforcement found Mayes a year ago Friday, surrounding him in the woods in Guntown, Mississippi.
Instead of surrendering, he shot himself in the head, setting Alexandria and Kyliyah free.
Today the girls are 13 and 9 years old.
People in their hometown say they see them around, like at “BBQ and More” enjoying their favorite food.
“I just did this week,” said Carter.
“How were they?” asked Reporter Sabrina Hall.
“They seemed to be OK,” said Carter. “I said ‘you two sure have pretty eyes’.”
But some say they think about the pain behind their eyes and everything they’ve gone through.
“I’m thinking about their sister and their mom,” said Ridley
“They are going to miss them for the rest of their lives,” said Carter.