Alabama youth minister allegedly threatened to kill his wife if teen rape victim did not send nude photos

An Alabama youth minister is behind bars, accused in the repeated rape and sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl who attended his church.

Terry Lewayne Murphree, 39, threatened to kill himself and his wife if the teen victim didn’t comply with his demands, according to court documents.

Murphree is charged in Blount County with 17 crimes: nine counts of a clergy member having sexual intercourse with a child, three counts of sexual abuse, and one count each of first-degree rape, electronic solicitation of a child, human trafficking, traveling to meet a child for sex, and first-degree attempted sodomy.

Murphree was booked into the Blount County Jail Tuesday.

The name of the church where Murphree served was not named in court records.

The charging documents state that the alleged sexual assaults happened in March and continued through June.

Murphree is accused of having forced sexual intercourse with the girl on multiple occasions, as well as performing sex acts on her.

Intercourse against the girl’s will took place at least seven times and possibly as many as 15, records state. Those acts took place at the unnamed church, at Murphree’s home and at the victim’s home.

The suspect, prosecutors contend, used Snapchat and text message to demand nude photos from the victim. He also threated harm to himself and his wife, who filed for divorce from him last month – if the teen didn’t send him nude photos.

Court records do not list an attorney to comment on Murphree’s behalf.

Prosecutors are asking that Murphree be denied bond.

“The defendant served in a position of trust within the community – a youth minister,’’ Assistant District Attorney Scott Gilliland wrote in his bond motion, “and abused that position of trust to exploit a child in his care.”