Velma Barfield poisoned Stuart Taylor with arsenic in North Carolina in 1978. The investigation led to admissions about other deaths connected to her. Books and reporting examine the killings, her trial, and the debate surrounding her execution in 1984.
Content note: violence, abuse, or loss. Linked material may contain graphic descriptions. Screen dramatizations may change events and dialogue.
North Carolina. The map provides regional context; individually verified historical places are listed below.
Map sources checked September 14, 2026. No case-specific Odd Stops location was found in this review.
See this case’s source review
Odd Stops
No verified match found. Source imagery is linked; only separately licensed photos are reproduced.
MurderData
No verified match found.
ArcGIS essay
Not included in this essay.
Reddit map
Reviewed as a general resource. Its coordinates and victim counts were not adopted as case evidence.
“No verified match” describes the accessible material found in this review, not proof that a source has never covered the case. MAP’s anonymous records were not individually matched to people.
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
A verified movie listing has not been added yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
03TV & documentaries
3 items
Watch links, previews, and historical title listings are identified below. Availability varies by service and region; rentals or subscriptions may be required.
Apple TV
World’s Most Evil Killers — Velma Barfield (S6 E18)
Nonfiction screen coverage of this case. The linked page identifies the program or episode; playback, subscriptions, and regional availability vary.
IMDb episode reference connected to the Velma Barfield case. Listed release: 2021. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
IMDb episode reference connected to the Velma Barfield case. Listed release: 1996. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Original newspaper coverage, hosted by Newspapers.com. Read each article in the context of its publication date; later findings may differ. Full-page access may require sign-in.
Featured newspaper clipping
Read a featured clipping here, then explore more reporting in the newspaper archive.
The Los Angeles Times · 1984-09-19 · Page 1
Clemency debate before Barfield's execution
A profile examines Velma Barfield's imprisonment and the competing appeals to North Carolina's governor over her scheduled execution.
Historical profile and clemency coverage; continued on another page.
Loads the article viewer from Newspapers.com. That service receives your browser and connection information and may use cookies. Access is controlled by the publisher; a subscription may be needed for additional archive material.
Case videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
FilmRise True Crime
World's Most Evil Killers - Season 6, Episode 18 - Velma Barfield - Full Episode
Full episode or film as labeled by the publisher from FilmRise True Crime covering the Velma Barfield case. Length: 44:38.
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Church-Going Grandma Ends Up On Death Row For Her Evil Crimes... The Shocking Velma Barfield Case.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
Outside blogs, personal essays, and creator write-ups. These reflect each author’s perspective. Check publication dates and compare claims with reporting and court records.
Medium · Murder Mystery And Mayhem In The Old North State · Blog / essay
Velma Barfield the “Death Row Granny”
An outside blog or essay discussing Velma Barfield. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription. Publisher access could not be checked directly; this article is indexed in search.
An outside blog or essay discussing Velma Barfield. Read the author’s analysis alongside the dated reporting and court sources in this case guide. Some publishers require a subscription.
Individual records from Internet Archive: library books, historical broadcasts, and preserved web pages. A catalog listing does not guarantee free reading or full playback. Access, previews, and borrowing are controlled by Internet Archive.
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10From the journal
0 articles
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11Court records & documents
1 items
Court opinions, filings, transcripts, and dockets, alongside clearly labeled parole records, released investigative files, and courtroom recordings. Each item identifies its source and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. These selections are not complete case files. Where an online document could not be verified, a separate guide identifies the records office or archive to contact.
Court opinionArchive copy
Barfield v. Harris — federal habeas decision
A federal district court’s historical review of Velma Barfield’s habeas challenge following her North Carolina murder conviction.
Court / agency
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
New material will appear here after editorial review.
13Where are they now?
0 items
The latest information verified for this collection is listed below. Each source has its own date; these are not live custody records.
A current-status update has not been verified for this case yet.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
14Positive Outcome
0 items
Documented laws, advocacy, and reforms connected to this case. Changes do not undo the harm, and listing a law does not claim that it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific law, reform, or advocacy initiative has been verified for this collection yet. This does not mean that none exists.
New material will appear here after editorial review.
Velma Barfield — media, court records & case files | Unforgotten Casebook
07Social Media
4 itemsCase videos, posts, family pages, and creator communities. Creator channels and groups cover multiple cases; each includes a link to the relevant episode. Facebook or TikTok may require sign-in, and groups may require membership approval. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting.
FilmRise True Crime
World's Most Evil Killers - Season 6, Episode 18 - Velma Barfield - Full Episode
Full episode or film as labeled by the publisher from FilmRise True Crime covering the Velma Barfield case. Length: 44:38.
Watch on YouTubeThe Casual Criminalist
Velma Barfield: The Death-Row Granny
Video from The Casual Criminalist covering the Velma Barfield case. Length: 52:57.
Watch on YouTubeMorbid | Podcast
Velma Barfield | Morbid | Podcast
Video from Morbid | Podcast covering the Velma Barfield case. Length: 2:10:02.
Watch on YouTubeTikTok · Creator channel
Lights Out — TikTok channel
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Church-Going Grandma Ends Up On Death Row For Her Evil Crimes... The Shocking Velma Barfield Case.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
Visit the TikTok channel