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Facebook Feud: Murder Charge for Torrie Emery

By Tanya Roth, Esq. on July 26, 2010 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

An alleged feud between two woment that started on Facebook, ended in the arraignment in Pontiac, Michigan, of one of the women last Friday, July 23. The two women, who were supposedly fighting over the affections of a prison inmate, got into a high speed car case resulting in the death of Alesha Abernathy and leaving Danielle Booth, 20, in the hospital with serious injuries. Torrie Emery, 23, is charged with multiple felonies for her part in the chase and death of Abernathy.

According to the Associated Press, Emery was in her car when she spotted Booth in another car with Abernathy behind the wheel. She gave chase, with her three year old child in the back seat. Police Det. Paul McDougal, who was in an unmarked squad car, saw both cars rush by at speeds approaching 100 mph. During the chase, Booth had called 911 and was still speaking with the dispatcher when Abernathy ran a red light and hit a dump truck.

"How can you get that angry or that jealous, really, that you jeopardize the life of your 3-year-old?" Pontiac Police Chief Valard S. Gross asked. "One person's stupidity, and look at the repercussions. It's just a ripple effect."

At the hearing on Friday, Judge Preston Thomas ordered Emery jailed without bond and set her preliminary examination for next Thursday, July 29. Emery's charges include second-degree murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm and child abuse.

A ex-classmate who knew Alesha Abernathy told the AP that she knew of the feud between Booth and Emery, but was not involved in it. "She died over someone else's problem," said Chandra Tiernan.

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