(Union City, TN) New details have emerged regarding a former Tennessee pastor charged with conspiring to poison his wife.
The plot not only involved the pastor, but also a female companion.
Police say the two came up with an elaborate plan to poison Eddie Mallonee’s wife while they were on a missionary trip in Honduras, something people in Union City say is hard to believe.
David Parks, a member of Second Baptist Church, the church where Mallonee was a pastor and Shelley Moran was a member.
Parks said, “Like everyone else…just shocked. There’s a lot of serious allegations, so you’re obviously in shock.”
Mallonee and Moran were indicted Monday by a grand jury.
Union City police say the two started planning in 2011 to poison Mallonee’s wife, Cathy, while she was in Honduras on a missionary trip.
“I hate this for him, his family, could only wish the best for him,” Parks said. “But obviously these are some serious allegations.”
Police chief Perry Barfield, a friend of the former pastor, says Moran turned herself in to the Obion County Jail Tuesday and is out on $10,000 bond.
Mallonee, however, has been in Indiana looking for a new job.
“He said that he would be returning here, because he still has a home here, later today or tonight or early tomorrow morning,” Barfield said.” “I just advised him to turn himself in before noon on Friday, which he assured me he would do.”
(Update: Mallonee turned himself in late Thursday night.)
Thursday morning, no one answered the door at the Mallonee’s home in Union City, and church leaders at Second Baptist communicated only through a written statement, saying, “Second Baptist Church is broken-hearted and grieved over this situation. We will seek God’s will and direction on how to love and minister to all those affected. ”
Parks is speaking out in defense of the church he attends.
“The church will thrive and continue to grow and I’m not concerned about the strength of Second Baptist Church,” he said.
Mallonee resigned as pastor in February 2013.
He and Moran will be arraigned in Union City Monday morning.