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10 Famous Murders in Tennessee

Officially the State of Tennessee is a landlocked state that is located in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state of Tennessee is the 36th-largest state by area and the 15^th-most populous of the fifty states of the United States of America.

Tennessee borders Kentucky to the North, North Carolina to the east, Virginia to the northeast, Arkansas to the southwest, Missouri to the northwest, and Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south. With a population of 6.9 million in 2020, several things have happened and will be happening in this state.

Several murders and homicide incidents have been reported in the state of Tennessee. Some of these incidents have been solved while others remain a mystery that requires to be solved.

Mass shootings and serial killings have been reported over the years in Tennessee which have shocked many due to the nature they are carried out. Some of the murderers were carried out for thrill and enjoyment, while others are provocations by family or other people.

Read on Top 15 Unsolved Murders.

Below are the 10 Famous Murders in Tennessee:

1. The Brutal Murder of Kerrick Majors

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A 14-year-old African-American boy, Kerrick Majors was tortured and murdered by a group of three white people in East Nashville, Tennessee. On the 26^th of April 1987 evening, Majors was heading home with his four friends when they came across a group of three white homeless people. The three were setting up their table to sell various items when a $2 was broken in the process.

Donald Ray, Tammy Middlebrooks, and their companion, Robert Roger chased after the children and caught up with Majors. They took Majors into a wooded area where they tied him up, stripped him, and started beating and kicking him repeatedly.

He was tortured for several hours by slapping, beating with brass knuckles, and being hit with a stick. Majors was burned on the nose with a cigarette lighter, hit on the face, and then a letter 鈥淴鈥� carved into his chest. He was then stabbed twice in the chest with an assault knife. The three were arrested and convicted with Middlebrooks getting a death sentence.

2. The Lillelid Murders

In Greene County, Tennessee, there was this case known as the Lillelid murders referring to the killing of a whole family by a group of youths. Vidar Lillelid (the father), Delfina Lillelid (mother), their daughter Tabitha and their son Peter were involved in this carjacking that led to their deaths.

On 6^th April 1997, six guys aged between 14 to 20 from Kentucky were traveling to New Orleans by road. They realized that the vehicle they were traveling in could not get them to their intended destination. The guys came up with the idea of stealing a car as they were armed with a 9mm and a .25 caliber pistol.

At a rest stop picnic spot in rural Greene County, Tennessee, the Lillelid family engaged in a conversation that turned into a carjacking as the guys brandished the guns. They drove off with them, even though they pleaded to be left at the rest stop and take their belongings plus the car. One of the guys, Risner first drove to the interstate then to a secluded road.

The Lillelids were made to line up against a ditch along the road and got shot at close range. As one of the guys checked the bodies, he stated that they were alive which made him shoot at them again. Vidar and Delfina died on the spot, Tabitha died on the way to the hospital and Peter survived but lives with disabilities.

3. The Kingston Courthouse Shooting

On 9th August 2005, after a court session at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston, Tennessee, a shooting occurred killing a Tennessee Department of Corrections transport officer who was fatally shot. After George pleaded guilty to a robbery charge and was being moved to prison, Jennifer Forsyth opened fire as she tried to break her husband out.

As officer Morgan and his partner were loading the prisoners, the handgun shooting took place hitting Morgan in the abdomen. Jennifer and George managed to flee from the scene as the officer succumbed. However, their freedom did not last long as they were arrested later and charged with first-degree murder, and given life imprisonment without parole.

Also, read on 10 Most famous murders in the United States.

4. The Campbell County High School Shootings

A 15-year-old freshman student, Kenneth Bartley Jr. shocked many as he shot three people, killing one at Campbell County Comprehensive High School. On 8^th November 2005, principal Gary Seale was informed that Kenneth was armed with a handgun. The principal confronted the freshman inside the administration office where he later brandished his 22-caliber pistol.

Bartley reportedly stated, 鈥淵es, it鈥檚 real. I鈥檒l show you. I never liked you anyway.鈥� He went ahead and shot the principal and assistant principals Ken Bruce and Jim Pierce. Another teacher inside the office managed to disarm Bartley before causing more havoc.

The principal and Pierce were airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Centre, while Ken Bruce was treated at St Mary鈥檚 hospital. However, Bruce was pronounced dead while the two others had serious injuries. Bartley had stolen the gun from his father and had the intention of trading it for OxyContin.

5. The Knoxville Unitarian Universalist Church Shooting

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The shooting took place at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist church where an unemployed Tennessee truck driver, Jim David Adkisson went on a shooting rampage. On 27^th July 2008, went to the church where 200 people were watching the performance of 25 children. He planned to shoot at the congregation until the police arrived, but he was restrained.

Jim opened fire on the audience killing 60-year-old Greg McKendry and 61-year-old Linda Kraeger. Greg McKendry deliberately stood in front of Jim to protect the others while Linda succumbed to the injuries. The suspect was arrested and charged.

6. Shooting and Killing of McDonald at Central High School

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On 21^st August 2008 at Central High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, a 15-year-old student, Jamar Siler shot and killed a fellow student. Jamar entered the school cafeteria where he spotted Ryan McDonald at a lunch table.

He then brandished a gun and fatally shot McDonald before he was arrested by the authorities. Unfortunately, McDonald succumbed to the injuries and it was later revealed that the two had an altercation earlier on. Siler was initially tried as a juvenile until he got 18 years and given a 30 years sentence which he is currently serving at Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility.

7. 2011 Memphis Serial Murders

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On 27^th January 2011, South Memphis, Tennessee was struck by a series of murders which left many shocked because of those targeted. Four female prostitutes were shot, and three died from these murders.

The body of 31-year-old Tamakia McKinney was the first to be found at around 2:15 AM as she was shot dead. Tamakia was a married woman and mother of two children by the time of her death.

On 20^th February at 12:05 PM, a certain woman flagged the police and led them to the body of 28-year-old Jessica Lewis inside Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Jessica Lewis who was also a prostitute had been shot dead.

On 24 February at around 5:45 A.M., the body of 44-year-old Rhonda Wells was found around the Mt. Carmel Cemetery area. Rhonda had been shot dead and her body was dumped near the place where the first body was found. She was also a prostitute who used to live with her grandmother before her death.

Two days later, at around 7:30 PM, 26-year-old Katrina Peterson was also shot. However, she managed to survive the gunshot, ran four blocks, found safety, and recovered. Katrina managed to describe the killer but police never managed to make any arrests.

8. The 2015 Chattanooga Shootings

On 16^th July 2015, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez went berserk on two military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee killing four Marine officers. Muhammad began the shootings shortly after 10:30 AM at the Armed Forces Career Centre. This center is used to recruit personnel for branches of the US Military including the Army, Air Force, and Tennessee National Guard.

The assailant fired around thirty to forty shots into the office while in a silver rental Mustang convertible and wounded 8 US Marines. He escaped them and drove to the US Navy Reserve Centre where he drove through the security gate.

Here, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez continued his firing and fatally shot and killed four Marines on the spot, injuring a Navy Sailor, marine recruiter, and police officer. Muhammad did not manage to escape from the scene as he was shot and killed by five police officers.

9. Murders of Lisa and Joe Guy

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The murders of Lisa and Joe Guy were gruesome with the turn of events being terrifying. On 26^th November 2016, Joel Guy Sr. 61 years, and 55-year-old Lisa Guy were murdered by their 28-year-old son, Joel Michael Guy Jr.

Guy Jr. attacked his father in an exercise room with a knife while his mother was shopping for groceries at Walmart. There was a struggle between the two with torn blinds, blood spilled on the wall and corner and some overturned Bowflex machine.

When his mother arrived home, she was also attacked with a knife and her nine ribs were severed. In a move to try and hide the evidence, Guy Jr. severed the bodies of his parents and left them in a horrible condition. The head of his mother was put in a boiling point and the other body parts were cut badly.

Joel was later arrested and pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in a four days trial. He is currently serving a life sentence at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee.

10. The 2019 Sumner County Murders

In Sumner County, Tennessee, the worst mass murder in Tennessee in 20 years was witnessed. On 27^th April 2019, eight bodies were discovered at multiple locations killed in various ways. A headless body was found on April 17^th which was later identified as Jim Dunn.

Ten days later, police responded to multiple crime scenes where four members of the Cummins family were slain at their home at Charles Brown Road. Another deceased victim was found on Luby Brown Road, 2 others were discovered the following day. A victim survived the injuries with all the deaths caused by forced blunt trauma to the head.

Read on 10 Famous Murders In South Carolina.