Dateline Airs ‘The Betrayal of Kirby Carpenter’ — and People Cites Tippah News

TIPPAH COUNTY — The Tippah County murder case that has gripped Mississippi for nearly four years reached a national audience Friday night, as NBC’s Dateline aired “The Betrayal of Kirby Carpenter” — and national coverage of the episode is citing Tippah News reporting on the case.

The episode, which premiered Friday at 8 p.m. CT, is now streaming on Peacock.

The case

Kirby Carpenter, 36, was found fatally shot outside his Tippah County home on Dec. 2, 2022. Investigators believe he was killed the night of Nov. 30, shot in his garage with a shotgun. His girlfriend, Caitlin Spence, discovered his body two days later.

The case turned on a tip from David Barnes, a former employee of Carpenter’s, who told investigators Caitlin had confided that her father, Jeffrey Spence, killed Carpenter. All three Spences — Jeffrey, Caitlin, and Karen — were arrested in November 2023.

After a hung-jury mistrial in September 2025, Jeffrey Spence was convicted of first-degree murder in a March 2026 retrial and sentenced to life in prison. Caitlin pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and testified against her father; she and Karen both received suspended sentences.

Tippah News cited nationally

People magazine’s post-airing explainer on the case cites Tippah News reporting on several key details — including the missing satchel Carpenter used to carry cash and valuables, the circumstances of the shooting, and the David Barnes tip that broke the case open.

The episode features reporting by Andrea Canning, with both families, Tippah County investigators, and District Attorney Ben Creekmore.

By Jon Myers