Johnny Cash's great-niece fatally stabbed, found in box

Johnny Cash's great-niece fatally stabbed, found in box

Maranda Faris and Brian Wilson, The Tennessean 9:36 a.m. EDT March 21, 2014

NASHVILLE — A 27-year-old man has been charged with fatally stabbing the great-niece of legendary country entertainer Johnny Cash.


Wayne Masciarella of Cape May, N.J. was charged with first-degree murder in the Wednesday death of 23-year-old Courtney Cash. He was also accused of stabbing her boyfriend, William Austin Johnson.


Putnam County Sheriff David Andrews said Courtney Cash's body was found in a chest Wednesday morning in a home near Cookeville, about 70 miles east of Nashville.


Andrews said Masciarella had gotten into a dispute with Johnson and Cash at their Baxter home before he allegedly stabbed them both and fled. The three were believed to be friends, the sheriff said.


After the attack, Johnson took his 20-month-old daughter to a Sparta hospital. The baby was not injured, but Johnson was treated for multiple wounds. His daughter was later taken to a relative's house.


When police arrived at the Baxter home, they found the body of Courtney Cash hidden in a cedar box.


The scene inside the house was "somewhat bloody," Andrews told reporters at a news conference.


"There was a struggle," the sheriff said.


The suspect may have been trying to hide Cash's body, Andrews said. A motive was not released, but Andrews indicated the stabbings were likely connected to drugs.


"This is a senseless, tragic death of a young lady whose life was probably taken as a direct or indirect result of drugs," Andrews said.


Masciarella was later arrested in Cookeville. He was booked without bond into the Putnam County Jail, where he awaits a preliminary hearing next week.

Andrews did not rule out that additional charges could be filed against Masciarella.


Andrews said the suspect had been previously arrested more than 20 times in Putnam County.


Courtney Cash was the granddaughter of Tommy Cash, the brother of the late Johnny Cash. In a statement, Tommy Cash asked for prayers and privacy for his family.


"Courtney and her boyfriend are beloved members of my family and like you we have a lot of questions and emotions that we are beginning to sort through today,'' the statement read. "We are completely heartbroken. It is a time like this that we are grateful for our faith and trusting the loving guidance of God."

Body of Tenn. woman found stabbed to death, stuffed in box identified as Johnny Cash’s great-niece

The body of Courtney Cash was discovered Wednesday morning in what authorities have described as a 4-foot-by-2-foot deep box near the door of her Putnam County home, about 80 miles east of Nashville. Authorities have arrested a man in her murder.

Comments (3) By Nina Golgowski / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Published: Thursday, March 20, 2014, 4:17 PM

Updated: Thursday, March 20, 2014, 5:32 PM

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Courtney Cash, the great-niece of Johnny Cash, was found stabbed to death in a box at her Tennessee home Wednedsay morning. Her boyfriend, William Austin Johnson, pictured, escaped with their little girl.


A young Tennessee woman who was found stabbed to death and stuffed in a box has been identified as the great-niece of legendary musician, Johnny Cash.
Courtney Cash, who was said to be in her 20s, was discovered in a 4-foot-by-2-foot deep box near the door of her Putnam County home Wednesday morning, about 80 miles east of Nashville, according to authorities.

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WSMV Channel 4 http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopo...johnnycash.jpg JEFF CHRISTENSEN/REUTERS

Courtney Cash was a relative of the legendary late singer Johnny Cash, seen in 1999. Johnny Cash's brother released a statement Thursday asking for prayers.

Cash and the father of her baby, William Austin Johnson, are believed to have been stabbed multiple times by a mutual friend they had invited to their home the night before.
During the violent struggle, Johnson was able to escape with their 20-month-old little girl who incredibly was reported as uninjured.
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http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopo...asciarella.jpg Wayne Masciarella, 27, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the disturbing case.

"Based on what I've been told about his wounds, he's a pretty strong man," Sheriff David Andrews told WSNV of Johnson's injuries.
"He grabbed the baby and exited the house and got in a car and drove himself to the hospital," said Andrews. "He was in pretty bad shape but we've been told he is stable."
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Sheriff David Andrews described Cash's boyfriend, William Austin Johnson, as of 'a pretty strong man' after driving himself to the hospital with multiple stab wounds.

The couple's alleged friend, Wayne Gary Masciarella, 27, was charged with first-degree murder Thursday in the horrific attack.
Andrews has said that the deadly altercation between the trio may have been drug related.
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http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopo...h21n-4-web.jpg WSMV

Authorities said the body of the young woman, said to be in her 20s, was recovered near the entrance of this home Wednesday morning. A suspect in the case was charged Thursday with first-degree murder.

In a statement released by Tommy Cash, the late singer's younger brother, he asked for both privacy and prayers "through the search for justice on this violent act."
"We are completely heartbroken," he said in part. "It is a time like this that we are grateful for our faith and trusting the loving guidance of God."
Masciarella is being held without bond. He has a court date scheduled for April 21.

Woah... That's messed up.

Yeah, it was.

Ok, I can, on some level understand how someone would murder someone else; anger, hate, love, whatever. That said, what would make you put the body in a box?

Quote:

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That said, what would make you put the body in a box?

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Easy.... the asshat was also stupid and didn't realize that hiding a body in a box would result in someone finding the body when they opened said box...

Simple as that. It sounds like the mentality of the murderer was likely on par with typical drug induced mentalities throughout the known galaxy.

Ok, so the murderer was a druggy, what role did Cash play? Was she a supplier, user, what? This has trailer park written all over it.

I havent figured it all out. I suspect it's trailpark drama though, as you said.

Wayne Gary Masciarella, 27

Location: Nashville, Tn

http://wsmv.images.worldnow.com/images/25019393_BG4.jpg



this part of course is speculation it seems:

[quote]"This was a senseless, tragic death of a young lady whose life was probably taken as a direct or indirect result of drugs, and that's just the world we live in. It's just unfortunate that our people in our society lean so heavily on drugs to get through life," Andrews said.[/quote

There are only two reason this story has any legs. The biggest is that she's related to Cash and secondary to that it's that's she's a cute white girl. A toothless crack whore wouldn't elicit even a "ah bummer" from me.

Same here.

I posted it only because she's related to Cash.