Donna Christina Herring, a former real estate agent from Camden, Arkansas, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on November 12, 2019, for conspiring to forge the will of Matthew Seth Jacobs, a survivor of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The scheme attempted to transfer most of Jacobs' $1.7 million estate to Herring's daughter instead of his teenage son. Herring was released early in 2021 after serving approximately 13 months and was placed under federal supervision for three years. Her case gained renewed attention in April 2025 through Oxygen's true-crime documentary Southern Fried Lies.
Who Is Donna Herring?
Donna Christina Herring is a former Arkansas real estate agent who became nationally known for her involvement in a fraudulent inheritance scheme following the death of Matthew Seth Jacobs in January 2015.
She was 51 when sentenced in November 2019. Herring had been active in Camden's real estate community and was familiar with Jacobs, who had accumulated considerable wealth after surviving the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion.
Her daughter, Jordan Alexandra "Alex" Peterson, was in a relationship with Jacobs at the time of his death. Their connection became central to the investigation after a purported will surfaced naming Peterson as the principal beneficiary.
Matthew Jacobs' Death and $1.7 Million Estate
Matthew Seth Jacobs survived the Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20, 2010, which killed 11 workers in the Gulf of Mexico.
He later received substantial compensation through litigation connected to the disaster.
On January 19, 2015, Jacobs died at age 34 in a single-vehicle crash near Camden, Arkansas. His estate was valued at approximately $1.7 million.
Jacobs left behind a 17-year-old son, Jordan Jacobs, who was his sole surviving child and heir.
Following his death, a document presented as his last will and testament named Alex Peterson as the main beneficiary, leaving only $50,000 to his son.
Investigators later determined that the document had been created after Jacobs died.
How Donna Herring Forged Matthew Jacobs' Will
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Herring began preparing the fraudulent will six days after Jacobs' death.
She used her sister Marion Diane Kinley's debit card to create an account with FormSwift, an online legal document service.
Herring drafted a document naming Peterson as executor and majority beneficiary of Jacobs' estate.
She then asked Kinley and Kinley's husband, John Wayne Kinley Jr., to sign the purported will as witnesses despite knowing Jacobs was already dead.
After learning that probate proceedings required an original document, Herring arranged for another version to be signed.
Peterson supplied the combination to Jacobs' gun safe. Herring placed the fabricated document inside and subsequently arranged for her husband and a family friend to discover it.
The staged discovery made the will appear to have been preserved among Jacobs' personal belongings.
The fraudulent document was submitted to Ouachita County Circuit Court in March 2015.
What Happened to the Inheritance?
The forged will directed nearly all of Jacobs' estate to Peterson.
According to federal prosecutors, a subsequent settlement initially provided Jacobs' son with $50,000 under the purported will, an additional $250,000 and certain personal belongings.
Peterson received assets valued at approximately $1.3 million, while some property went to Jacobs' brother.
However, the fraudulent arrangement was later challenged in civil court.
In April 2017, an Arkansas judge invalidated the will after finding clear and convincing evidence that it had been created using FormSwift after Jacobs' death.
The ruling opened the way for Jacobs' son to recover his rightful inheritance.
In the 2025 documentary, Jordan Jacobs said he had recovered nearly all his father's estate, including three houses, personal property and cash.
FBI Investigation and Criminal Convictions
The FBI and Arkansas State Police investigated the document fraud, including the creation of the will, witness signatures and financial transactions.
In January 2018, Herring pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Her sister and brother-in-law also pleaded guilty to fraud-related offenses. Peterson separately admitted making a false statement to the FBI concerning the whereabouts of Jacobs' mobile phone.
Although all four were sentenced in proceedings arising from the scheme, their convictions involved different conduct and charges.
Donna Herring's Federal Prison Sentence
On November 12, 2019, Chief U.S. District Judge Susan O. Hickey sentenced Herring to 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The other defendants received the following sentences:
| Defendant | Offense | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Donna Christina Herring | Conspiracy to commit wire fraud | 41 months in prison |
| Marion Diane Kinley | Conspiracy to commit wire fraud | 18 months in prison |
| John Wayne Kinley Jr. | Wire fraud | 12 months in prison |
| Jordan Alexandra Peterson | Making a false statement to the FBI | Six months of home confinement |
Each defendant also received a three-year term of supervised release.
Federal prosecutors described the fraud as a deliberate attempt to deprive Jacobs' son of his inheritance through fabricated legal documents.
Why Was Donna Herring Released From Prison Early?
Although Herring received a 41-month sentence, she served approximately 13 months before being released early in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Oxygen's April 2025 reporting, she was subsequently subject to three years of supervised release.
Supervised release is a court-ordered period of monitoring after imprisonment. Conditions may include regular reporting to federal probation authorities, compliance with lawful instructions and restrictions specified by the sentencing court.
Herring's early release did not overturn her conviction or erase the financial and legal consequences of the fraud.
Was Matthew Jacobs' Death Investigated as a Possible Homicide?
Questions about Jacobs' death emerged during the investigation into his estate.
Although he had initially been reported to have died in a vehicle crash, investigators later reviewed whether additional circumstances required examination.
In February 2018, an Arkansas judge authorized the exhumation of Jacobs' remains after prosecutors presented information raising questions about the original circumstances of his death.
The order permitted a forensic examination because no autopsy had been performed immediately after the crash.
However, the investigation did not result in a homicide charge against Herring.
Her established criminal conviction concerns conspiracy to commit wire fraud, not murder or involvement in Jacobs' death.
Donna Herring's Life After Prison
Following her release, Herring returned to life outside federal prison.
In the 2025 documentary Southern Fried Lies, she described her incarceration as manageable and said she had spent much of her time reading and playing cards.
She maintained that she had completed her punishment and wanted to move forward.
Herring also acknowledged that her relationship with daughter Alex Peterson remained strained.
She said she continued visiting and maintaining Jacobs' gravesite, although some people interviewed for the documentary questioned her account and motives.
Those statements reflect Herring's own perspective. They should not be treated as independent proof of personal rehabilitation or reconciliation with Jacobs' family.
Southern Fried Lies Documentary
Oxygen premiered Southern Fried Lies on April 27, 2025, with streaming availability on Peacock beginning April 29.
The two-hour documentary revisits Jacobs' death, the forged inheritance documents and the federal investigation.
It features interviews with Herring, members of the Jacobs family and people familiar with the events in Camden.
The program also explores questions surrounding Jacobs' fatal crash, while the confirmed criminal case concerns the fraudulent will and related offenses.
For Jordan Jacobs, the documentary offered an opportunity to describe the personal impact of losing his father and fighting to recover the inheritance.
Where Is Donna Herring Now?
As of November 2026, the latest substantial public account of Herring's circumstances comes from the April 2025 documentary and accompanying interviews.
She was released from prison in 2021 after serving approximately 13 months and was placed under supervision for three years.
Public reporting reviewed for this update does not establish a subsequent return to prison, new criminal conviction or additional federal sentence.
Her current employment, precise residence and any formally documented completion of supervision have not been independently confirmed.
Donna Herring Case Timeline
- April 20, 2010: Matthew Jacobs survives the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
- January 19, 2015: Jacobs dies in a vehicle crash at age 34.
- January 25, 2015: Herring creates a fraudulent will six days after his death.
- March 2015: The purported will is submitted to probate court.
- 2016: Federal investigators examine the suspected forgery.
- April 2017: An Arkansas judge invalidates the fraudulent will.
- January 2018: Herring pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
- February 2018: A judge authorizes the exhumation of Jacobs' remains.
- November 12, 2019: Herring receives a 41-month federal prison sentence.
- 2021: She is released early after serving approximately 13 months.
- April 27, 2025: Oxygen premieres Southern Fried Lies.
Conclusion
Donna Herring's federal fraud case centered on the creation of a false will that attempted to redirect most of Matthew Seth Jacobs' $1.7 million estate away from his teenage son.
A court invalidated the will in 2017, and Herring later received a 41-month federal prison sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She was released early in 2021 and placed under federal supervision.
The case attracted renewed attention through Southern Fried Lies in 2025, particularly because of the damage caused to Jacobs' family and lingering questions about his fatal crash.
While Herring has spoken publicly about moving forward after prison, the confirmed legal record remains her fraud conviction. She has not been charged with causing Jacobs' death, and claims about personal redemption remain separate from the documented judicial findings.
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