A native of Gainesville, Georgia and a graduate of Mercer University,[1] Murphy began his career in journalism with the Macon Telegraph.
From 1994 to 1995, Murphy served as the president of the United States Golf Association.
[3] Murphy was kidnapped on February 20, 1974, at the age of 40, and was freed two days later after the Atlanta Constitution paid $700,000 ransom.
[6] Williams was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in jail but served only nine; his wife Betty received probation for not reporting her husband to police.
[2][7] Williams claimed to represent a right-wing militia group called The American Revolutionary Army, protesting against "too leftist and too liberal" media outlets and a government which was a “fraud and a murderer on a mass scale”, and sought to have all federal elected officials resign.