Bail Denied for Woman Charged with Murder in Decatur

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) – Bail has been denied for a Decatur double murder suspect. Mary Hughes appeared before a judge Thursday afternoon as her mother and a detective testified.

A Decatur police detective told the court that a woman called 911 to hit an elderly woman in the head with a hammer. That witness followed the suspect’s car, and that’s when police caught up with Hughes.

The detective says when they arrested Hughes, they found a bloody hammer believed to have been used to kill Mimi Marquette.

Investigators also found a backpack in the car containing James Jefferson’s identification papers. This allowed investigators to link Hughes to Jefferson’s stabbing murder.

Hughes’ mother also testified at the hearing. She said Hughes had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

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