Jared Wyatt - The Heart Ripper

Even the most dedicated horror movie enthusiasts would probably cringe at the scenes we're diving into today. Jared Wyatt, a promising MMA fighter, made a dark mark in sports history when he brutally murdered his sparring partner. I usually don’t give out extra listener discretion warnings, but this story definitely calls for one. Under the influence of psychedelic mushroom tea, Jared Wyatt committed the unimaginable by tearing the still-beating heart from Taylor Powell's chest, and that’s just the beginning of the horror.

The folks living in Klamath County, California, could never have imagined that on March 21, 2010, something so horrific would unfold right in their neighborhood. Jared Wyatt and Taylor Powell, two young guys with dreams of making it in mixed martial arts, decided to throw a party with their friends, Justin Davis and Billy Joe Bailey, who happened to be Wyatt's ex-girlfriend. Little did they know what was about to go down. There's a lot to unpack regarding the events that transpired, and only the four friends, who were also under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms, truly know the full story. The statements we have to work with are a bit murky, so let’s dive into what the investigators uncovered.

When the police arrived, what they encountered that day is likely something that will haunt them forever. Sergeant Elwood Lee was sent to a home in Requa, Northern California, after a report of a stabbing came in. As soon as he stepped inside, he spotted dried blood on the cabinets and heard the crunch of broken glass underfoot. The walls were battered, with holes in the drywall, painting a grim picture of what had just occurred.

Residents of Klamath County, California, could never have predicted that on March 21, 2010, a shocking crime would erupt right in their backyard. Jared Wyatt and Taylor Powell, two young men aspiring to break into the world of mixed martial arts, decided to host a party with their friends, Justin Davis and Billy Joe Bailey, who was Wyatt's ex-girlfriend. They had no clue about the chaos that was about to unfold. There’s a lot to unpack regarding the events that took place, and only the four friends, who were also experiencing a psychedelic trip, know the complete story. The accounts we have are a bit hazy, so let’s start with what the investigators found out.

What the police discovered that day is something that will likely stick with them for a long time. Sergeant Elwood Lee was called to a home in Requa, Northern California, after someone reported a stabbing. Upon entering the house, he immediately noticed dried blood on the cabinets and the crunch of broken glass beneath his feet. The walls were damaged, with holes in the drywall, giving a clear indication of the violence that had just occurred.

As he kept scanning the room, he heard some mumbling coming from the living room. When he turned to look, he noticed a foot sticking out from behind the couch. On high alert, he saw some movement in that room and caught more mumbling that he couldn’t quite decipher. Sergeant Lee felt his body tense up, and his hair stood on end as he spotted a body on the couch, an eyeball on the floor, and a large, blood-covered man sprawled out on the ground. The man’s eyes were shining intensely as he glanced up at Sergeant Lee and mumbled, “I killed him.”

Sergeant Lee quickly slapped handcuffs on him, probably feeling a wave of relief that the person responsible for this chaos was now restrained. At that moment, he didn’t fully grasp the severity of what he was facing. A quick look at the victim on the couch was a snapshot in time that I bet still haunts him. Taylor Powell was barely recognizable, missing most of the skin on his face.

Sergeant Lee’s gaze fell to an 18-inch gash, and the most horrifying part of the open wound on Taylor’s chest was what was absent—his heart was gone. At one point, Jared asked the officers if they were God or if they were there to save him. Billy Joe Bailey, Jared’s ex, and Justin Davis were also arrested at the scene. Justin later testified that he had left the house to head to Crescent City, but Jared wanted him to stay and even jumped on his car to stop him. According to Justin, he returned to the house to grab his dog and caught sight of someone straddling another person in the living room, talking about cutting off a tattoo. That’s when he decided to back out and call the police.

Jared was trying to get Sergeant Lee on his side, claiming that Taylor was the one who kicked off this supernatural showdown, insisting that the world was on the brink of collapse. Out of nowhere, Taylor put Jared in a chokehold from behind, leaving him feeling completely trapped. Jared justified his next move by saying, "Satan was in that dude." He confessed to cutting out Taylor's tongue and taking out his heart, worried that Taylor might still be alive, which he thought was a bad sign that the fight wasn’t finished. To make sure the devil didn’t come back, he tossed the severed body parts into the wood-burning stove, thinking that burning them would do the trick.

Now, some sources suggest there was a bit of drama between Jared and his ex, and it’s possible that Taylor was flirting with Bailey, which might have pushed Jared over the edge. This wasn’t surprising, considering he had a reputation for being aggressive and impulsive.

Now, let’s hear Bailey’s side of the story. She saw some of the events leading up to the chaos, which could help explain what went down. It all kicked off at a bar in Crescent City, where Bailey ran into her ex, Jared. They soon decided to head over to the Requa house, where Taylor and Justin joined them. Bailey mentioned that she had only met Taylor a few times before and had never even met Davis.

Everyone was feeling pretty good while the three guys whipped up some mushroom tea, and they all decided to give it a try. Justin playfully nudged Bailey to join in, teasing her that she’d be the only sober one if she didn’t. Eventually, she caved and took a sip too. The trio of mushroom-loving pals headed outside, but it wasn’t long before Jared stormed back in, complaining about his burning eyes. Justin was in a panic, trying to escape the house, but Jared wasn’t having it. He started yelling at Taylor to grab his guitar, and that’s when Taylor’s whole demeanor flipped. He shouted in a wild voice, “You want to effing die?” That seemed to set Jared off, and soon enough, they were wrestling on the kitchen floor. Bailey struggled to keep track of what was happening, but she vaguely remembered Taylor either spitting at Jared or threatening her.

Feeling overwhelmed, she slipped out and hid in the bedroom. Jared claimed he was just trying to protect Bailey, but the way he went about it—like the gruesome act of removing the victim's face—showed a chilling lack of empathy. For the prosecutors who had seen their fair share of involuntary manslaughter cases, Jared Wyatt’s actions, especially the meticulous removal of the heart, tongue, and skin, suggested he had intent. He tried to pin the blame on the mushrooms or claim insanity, but nobody was buying that excuse. This particular psychedelic doesn’t really work like that. Unspeakable anger and brutality or psychosis in this man it must have already been there to begin with. Del Norte County District Attorney John Alexander said quote "I wanted him to admit this wasn't the product of drug delusion.'' It was always absolutely non-negotiable that Wyatt would have to admit to first-degree murder, that he admit that, he had committed this brutal murder without hiding behind the veil of drugs. It is sad that we have taken this long to get to this day but, I think Justice was delivered as I mentioned before. Jared pleaded Not Guilty by reason of insanity however multiple psychiatric examinations revealed that Jared was perfectly fine and didn't have any mental disorder.

He was ruled competent to stand trial during the trial then 29 year old Jared didn't testify and didn't want his family to testify either. His attorney admitted we looked for an agreement that would at least give him the opportunity to be paroled someday. James fall man said as bad as 47 years to Life Sounds, it's better than life without the possibility of parole. Finally he ended up with a deal pleading guilty to first-degree murder involving Mayhem. He was sentenced to two life sentences of 25 years to life.

Jared Wyatt will not be eligible to see a parole board until he is in his 70s. This epic fighting game ended with the double KO as Jared will waste his entire life in prison instead of winning MMA titles. He will be remembered as a cruel murderer, who redefined the word gruesome.

Judge William Follett said : the murders they see are so often senseless. The violence and terror in this situation go beyond anything I've encountered before. The pain that the victim's family is enduring is unimaginable, and I hope no one else has to go through this. Unfortunately, nothing we do today can bring this young man back.