Mary Porter, 57, is the daughter of Frank Batten Sr., who was chairman of Virginia-based Landmark Communications. At the time of his death in 2009, Landmark owned nine daily newspapers, televisions stations in Las Vegas and Nashville, more than 50 weekly newspapers and a national chain of classified advertising publications, according to his obituary in The New York Times. Toward the end of his life, Batten was best known as the founder of the Weather Channel, which debuted in 1982. In 2008, Landmark sold it to NBC Universal and two private equity firms for nearly $3.5 billion. Her husband, Michael Porter, 70, was born southwest of Los Angeles. According to California business filings, Porter registered several companies, including the Red Butte Corp., Jayport Electric, Inc., and Wespac Electric with addresses in Los Angeles County, and Landco Management Corp. in San Diego County. A 2009 business record listed Landco as a general contractor. Mike Porter began to buy land in Gillespie County in 2004 under a trust, according to property records. In addition to their Cross Creek Ranch in Doss, the Porters own a house in nearby Fredericksburg.
| Types | Person |
| Aliases | Betsy Batten, Mary Porter |