Family members among those charged following Maury County teen’s overdose death
MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Four people, including a mother and grandmother, are being charged for their connection to the overdose death of a Maury County teen.
Katelynn Dupont was just 16 years old when she died from an overdose on Dec. 14, 2024. Approximately four months later, on April 10, the Maury County Sheriff’s Department made multiple arrests in Dupont’s case.
A multi-count indictment reports that four people, including the teen’s mother Casey Bankhead and grandmother Nancy Bankhead, have been arrested in connection to the overdose.
Casey and Nancy were reportedly charged with aggravated child neglect and first-degree murder.
According to the charging document, the women “unlawfully and knowingly neglected a child under 18 years of age, so as to adversely affect the child’s health and welfare, and the act of neglect resulted in serious bodily injury.”
News 2 went to Nancy’s home on Tuesday, April 15, to ask about her alleged involvement in her granddaughter’s death.
“What’s going through your mind and heart right now?” asked News 2’s Andy Cordan.
“It hurts, real bad. I was asleep and my granddaughter left that night and I got a call at 1 a.m. saying she was having a seizure and died,” Nancy replied.
When asked if she was in any way responsible in her granddaughter’s death, Nancy stated, “I don’t know. Not that I know of. I was asleep.”
Meanwhile, Jerry Durham is being held in the Maury County jail facing six charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated statutory rape, one count of aggravated child neglect and possession of meth.
News 2’s Andy Cordan visited Durham at the jail, where he denied all charges and claimed it was a “conspiracy.”
“It’s a suicide. She’s known for suicide attempts, and I’m not guilty of nothing I’m charged with,” Durham told News 2.
When asked why he would be charged for the teen’s suicide, Durham offered the following answer: “I don’t know why they charged me. I guess cause she was at my house when she done it. I don’t know why she did that to me.”
“They got me charged with statutory rape,” added Durham. “I’ve never touched that girl sexually.”
“Were you guys living together?” Cordan inquired.
“No,” Durham responded. However, he mentioned that he was dating Dupont’s mom “on and off.”
“So, you’re telling me you never had sex with that girl?” Cordan asked.
“Never. I never had any kind of sexual relations with that child. Never,” Durham replied tearfully.
Durham told News 2 what he’s being charged with makes him emotional because he believes authorities are “trying to take his life.”
“You know what they charged me with? First-degree murder, second-degree murder… on a OD and suicide? I called 911. I tried to save the girl!” he said.
During the interview, Durham added that the drugs that killed Katelynn Dupont came from her mother.
The fourth person indicted in connection to Dupont’s death has been identified as 43-year-old Jessica Estes. She is charged with second-degree murder.
During an interview at Maury County Jail, Estes claimed she doesn’t even know the people involved in the case, adding “she never met these people a day in her life.”
“How do you feel about being here today?” asked News 2’s Andy Cordan.
“I’m mad, I mean this is time away I cannot get back,” Estes responded. “I mean I have kids, I have a family at home waiting on me. I lost my job. I’m going to lose everything.”
The mother of two adult children acknowledged that she has a history of drug dealing, but said she doesn’t deal to children and she didn’t deal the drugs that killed Katelynn Dupont.
“Just point blank, I’m pretty sure they are trying to tie you to the drugs that killed the girl and you say what?” Cordan inquired.
“That I have nothing to do with it. It was not me. I was not selling the drugs that they say she died from,” Estes replied before she continued. “I have drug charges and I’m not saying I’m an innocent person by no means, but I do not deal with children. At all, by any means, at all. Because I have children and I would not want anyone to do that to me.”
Neither the Maury County Sheriff’s Department nor the District Attorney’s Office would provide a comment about the case.
Both Nancy and Casey have since been released from jail on bond. No additional details were immediately released.
