A Carter County woman convicted of murder in connection with the slaying of a woman at a Valley Forge convenience store in 24 years ago will have her first parole hearing on Oct. 4.

Donna J. Sexton, now 46 years old, will have her first parole hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the Tennessee Prison For Women in Nashville. In 1995 Sexton entered a “no contest” plea to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery in connection with the death of Angela June Whitehead Montgomery and robbing of the Valley Forge Market. Her co-defendant, her boyfriend William “Matney” Putman entered a guilty plea to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated burglary.

Montgomery, who was 34 at the time of her death, was closing the store for the night when Sexton and Putman arrived and robbed the store.

Ken Potter, who was Chief Deputy at the Carter County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the murder investigated the case. Even now, 24 years later, the details of the crime scene and the case are still vivid in his memory.

“It was a gruesome, heinous, and atrocious crime,” Potter recalled, describing Montgomery’s death as “very violent.”

During the investigation, Potter interviewed both Putman and Sexton and said Putman gave a particularly graphic confession.

When Putman and Sexton walked in as Montgomery was closing the store, Potter said Putman told him Montgomery recognized him and that is why he decided to kill her.

Putman committed the murder, Potter said, but Sexton was charged as an accomplice in the crime.

“Donna drove the car, entered the store, and was present during the murder,” Potter said. “She did not physically take part in the killing, but she was with Matney and drove them away.”

While fleeing the store, Putman threw the knife he used over a bridge into the Doe River. Investigators later recovered the knife using search crews and a specialized magnet.

After Putman and Sexton disposed of the knife along with some other evidence, Potter said the pair then began fleeing to Florida.

Witnesses came forward from the very beginning of the investigation and officers were able to develop Putman as a suspect and obtain a search warrant for his home.

“He called me while we were working the case and wanted to know why we were up at his place,” Potter recalled.

Investigators learned were Putman and Sexton were headed in Flordia and called local authorities there to apprehend them.

“When they arrived in Florida the house was already surrounded, and the officers were waiting for them,” Potter said. “They told me he got one foot on the ground before they affected the arrest.”

Putman and Sexton were extradited back to Tennessee to face the charges. The State of Tennessee initially sought the death penalty against Putman, who despite being only 25 years old at the time of the murder already had a criminal record for violent offenses. At the time of Montgomery’s murder, Putman was out on parole following a conviction for aggravated kidnapping, robbery, and arson.

Putman avoided the death penalty by entering a guilty plea to the charges and receiving a sentence of life without parole for the murder. His sentence was later overturned, and he was re-sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He received a 20-year sentence for the aggravated robbery conviction.

Sexton received a sentence of life with the possibility of parole on the murder conviction and an 8-year on the robbery conviction.

At the time of Montgomery’s murder, a “life sentence” in Tennessee did not mean a person would spend the rest of their life in prison but would rather serve a set number of years before becoming eligible for parole. Sexton’s parole eligibility date is Dec. 24, 2017, with her hearing scheduled for Oct. 4. Putman’s parole on his previous convictions was revoked, and he had to serve that sentence before beginning the sentence for murder and robbery in connection with Montgomery’s death. He is eligible for parole on April 22, 2029.

When it comes to Sexton coming up for parole, Potter said he does not feel she has served enough time for her crimes.

“Personally, I hope she does not get parole,” he said. “People like that don’t need to be out on the street.”