Audrey Marie Frazier was born on June 4, 1933, in the Blue Mountain area of Anniston, Alabama, to Lucille (née Meads) and Huey Frazier. She married Frank Hilley on May 8, 1951, which produced two children, Mike and Carol. Despite Frank’s well-paying job and Audrey’s secretarial employment, the couple had little money set aside in savings due to Audrey's excessive spending habits, leading to friction in the marriage. Unbeknownst to Frank, his wife was spending more than they earned combined and frequently engaged in sex with her bosses in exchange for money. Frank began suffering from a mysterious illness, as did his son Mike, although Mike's symptoms which his doctors attributed to stomach flu abruptly stopped when he moved away to attend seminary.