Youth Minister arrested for raping 13-year-old: Public Prosecutor

Background: Logo of the social network Snapchat from October 5, 2020. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images). Inset: Booking photo of Terry Murphree (Blount County Sheriff’s Office).

Terry Lewayne Murphree, 39, an Alabama youth pastor who allegedly threatened to kill himself and his ex-wife after the 13-year-old girl he allegedly raped refused to send him nude photos, has been arrested and charged with 17 felonies, including first-degree rape and attempted sodomy.

Jail and court records reviewed by Law&Crime show that Murphree, a Blountsville resident, is accused of raping the teen multiple times. He faces several charges, including sexual contact of a child by a clergyman, human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, traveling to meet a child for the purpose of sexual activity and sexual abuse.

The church where Murphree worked as a youth pastor was not named in court documents, and repeated requests to identify the church were not confirmed to Law&Crime on Thursday.

No attorney is listed for Murphree in court records. He is being prosecuted by Blount County District Attorneys Pamela Casey and Scott Gilliland.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime, prosecutors said Murphree attacked the teen around March 30 and that the assault continued into the second and third weeks of June. Police said Murphree raped or sexually assaulted her at least seven and no more than 15 times.

The human trafficking charge is specifically related to the allegation that Murphree threatened to “kill himself and his wife if the 13-year-old victim did not send him nude photos and videos of herself,” according to the files.

According to AL.com, his wife filed for divorce last month.

The alleged attacks occurred both in the church and in the girl’s apartment.

Prosecutors say the youth minister used Snapchat to send text messages to the victim, which they used to “arrange meetings,” police said.

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