- The world has lost it's brightest star. Megan Sharpton According to her mother and sister, Megan was due to have dinner with her family on the evening before her body was found. According to the Investigation Discovery show, authorities believed that Megan was lured to a place where she was raped before being killed, following which, Donnie poured fire accelerant on her privates and set her body on fire. Milan - Kelly Elizabeth Hale Sharpton, age 47, of Tullahoma, passed away Friday, November 8, 2013 at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga. Lady Frights Emporium will present St. Patricks Extravaganza, taking place at the Rotary Park and Amphitheatre on Saturday, March 18th, featuring live music, craft vendors, food trucks, games and more. Timothy did not even need much coercing and immediately told officers that he purchased the burner cell for his friend, Donnie Jones (Naomi Jones husband). Offers may be subject to change without notice. But soon after making plans, Megan called to explain that a last-minute job interview had come up and that she'd meet with them whenever she was able to. The Lifecycle of a Raindrop: Why it Matters to You. (No Ratings Yet) If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. But there was one more thing that let Kelly Hale Sharpton know immediately that it was her missing daughter the dead woman had two star tattoos on her body. The victim was nude from the waist down. And for a second time. However, a dark and sinister tale of murder emerged from the embers when the police discovered that it was a womans body on fire. Fly free our angel mom.". On July 1st, Megan made plans to meet with her family for dinner,. You'll enjoy AD-FREE access to our site as long as you are a paid subscriber. Chris Brown scooped two top prizes, beating the likes of Beyonce, Lizzo and Drake. We won't share it with anyone else. Tullahoma Funeral Home's online guest book was flooded with condolences from friends, co-workers and other grieving mothers who knew now that another mother, Kelly's, was grieving, too. Death notices for Feb. 23. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Of course, if he used lighter fluid, this would make the purchase less conspicuous. 19K 918K views 10 months ago In 2012, Megan Sharpton was studying nursing and just months away from collecting her diploma. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Autopsy showed Sharpton died of blunt force trauma. Prosecutors eyed the death penalty. or call 931-455-4657 or email kboswell@tullahomanews.com. She mattered to us all. Only $2.00 additional per month! According to WZTV FOX 17, police learned that Donnie Jones wife knew Megan. Investigation Discovery has picked up the story and will be dramatizing it on their crime documentary Murder Comes To Town. Tullahoma wrestlers brought home hardware this past weekend as four Wildcat grapplers medaled in the state championships. Detectives circled back to the boyfriend, Chris. She was a compassionate, caring soul, and planned a career in nursing. Moreover, once police searched the area where they believed the crime had taken place, they discovered burnt pieces of a scarf later determined to be Megans. Read More: How Did Noreen Kumeta Rudd Die? In the beginning, the quest for justice kept Kelly Sharpton going. She knows socially the person believed to be responsible for Megan's murder, a man she calls a predator who had made contact . She was active in grief groups that put her in contact with grieving mothers like herself all over the world. However, soon after, Donnie sought to withdraw his confession claiming that his wife was being threatened with legal charges and that his own attorney led him towards the confession. Megan put him behind bars for life. In the months since her daughter Megan, 24, was raped and killed, her body set afire alongside Awalt Road in Franklin County, TN, the grief-stricken mother had struggled to cope. Megan Shannon's passing on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 has been publicly announced by Graham-Dunn Funeral Home - Carrollton in Carrollton, KY.Legacy invites you to offer condolences and share memories o Death Notice. Investigators brought their attentions back to the job offer that Megan told friends and family about on the evening of her murder. The episode pertaining to Megan Sharpton is titled Answering The Call. IDs Murder Comes To Town is a riveting crime series that analyzes cases that have happened in small towns. to the family or plant a tree The amazing Erika Megan Sharpton was torn from us July 2, 2012, age 24. Thats the chronology of the crime in an unfolding time lapse. The investigation into Jones and the phone revealed that he was on the prowl, trying to lure other potential victims before Megan Sharpton. Tullahoma - The world has lost it's brightest star. According to the autopsy report, Megan was sexually assaulted before the murder. After searching the property, police found a burn barrel. The two were classmates the year before, and Naomi said she didnt care for Megan, although she notedon one occasion, her husband drove them to clinicals. The 24-year-old was descibed as a bright star and a caring soul, she was studying a nursing program at. "We're waiting for him to get the expert mental evaluation done," Taylor said. According to Taylor, Megan and Chris had an up and down relationship. Her death was a mystery. Three weeks later, Jones sought to change his plea, citing inadequate legal counsel.Mike Taylor, district attorney in the 12th Judicial District, said an appointed counsel for Jones has formalized his motion. We will miss her dearly and feel for her family. They also learned that Donnie Jones was behind the phone call to Megan about a job interview. On Friday, Kelly Elizabeth Hale Sharpton took her own life in a Chattanooga hotel. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. The circumstances of Erika Megan Sharpton's death (which has been ruled a homicide) are quite unusual. Megan was born on October 24, 1987 in Tullahoma, TN and died there July 2, 2012. We cherish the time we had with our Megan and are grateful for the breadth and variety of experiences we were able to share in her tragically abbreviated life. By the condition of the body, it seemed that the victim had fought for her life. Nieces Chloe' Taylor, Baylee Sharpton, and Lizzy Sharpton. When the power goes out, it affects more than just your ability to watch TV or read with the lights on. Her family, alongside Rev. He received a life sentence with no possibility of parole. Visitation will be Friday, July 6, 2012 from 5-8 pm. November 13, 2013 at 1:00 a.m. 26 Feb Feb According to her mother and sister, Meganwas due to have dinner with her family on the evening before her body was found. The amazing Erika Megan Sharpton was torn from us July 2, 2012, age 24. She worked as a graphic designer at AEDC. Megan promised to be back later, while Chris went to work at a local department store from 5:00 p.m. to midnight. Police discovered that the phone used to lure Megan with a job interview was an unregistered burner phone. We tried as much as we could to be respectful' These stars were already taken when they found a new love! The case seemed to hit a wall, but then the autopsy report came back and revealed a shocking detail: it was a gunshot wound to the face that killed Megan. She gave everybody the same benefit of the doubt. Kyle, 27, lived there with his girlfriend, Jennifer Valiante, 31. It's what society needs to do to close this and walk away.". Her car was found burned in a remote field. According to the Times Free Press, the pain of her daughters death was too intense. She also had a job interview lined up for the day. Chance of rain 100%. Megan was supposed to drop by her familys house that day (a Sunday, July 1st), since her sister was in town. "It is apparent that she tried so hard to carry on after Megan's passing, but the pain was relentless. Kelly, you, by far, are at the top of that list. The location of Erika Megan Sharpton's body lies about two hours from Darden -- where Holly Bobo vanished in April of 2011. She was going to nursing school and had a really bright future. He reported it immediately believing that it was a grass fire. Megan Sharptons last few minutes of life was pure hell and panic and fear, said Detective Dyer. He was the son of the late . Many cousins, great aunts, and great uncles. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.tullahomafuneralhome.com. Ahntastic Adventures in Silicon Valley "I wake up in the morningand I see my dead daughter's . Tullahoma, Tennessee, isnt the first place that comes to mind when considering a murder, but in the early morning hours of July 2, 2012, a grisly discovery would be made. Thats my call, and another call is that she knew her killer, if only vaguely. Food and medicine in your refrigerator and freezer can go bad. In the early hours of Saturday morning, unspeakable tragedy struck Moore County as MCHS Senior Isaiah Petty was killed as the passenger in a single car crash on the highway just down from the high school. The amazing Erika Megan Sharpton was torn from us July 2, 2012, age 24. DELLINGER, Jr., James Ray James "Jim" Ray Dellinger, Jr., age 92, passed away on Friday, January 27, 2023. To send flowers 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. I knew of her. In addition, he denied ever talking to Megan outside the time he drove Megan and his wife to school and denied ever receiving a burner phone from Gifford. Sharpton eulogized George Floyd in Minneapolis after he died while in police custody in May 2020. Kelly Elizabeth Hale Sharpton, of Tullahoma, died Friday, Nov. 8, at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga. Visitation will be Friday, July 6, 2012 from 5-8 pm. I aint ever, I had no contact with her, he told authorities. Police shifted their focus back to the boyfriend. After going to the press to talk about her daughters memory and fighting to have Donnie Jones arrested for the murder, Kelly Hale Sharpton died. While following the phone calls trail, the police met up with Naomi Jones, who said she and Megan were just acquaintances. Staff writer Tim Omarzu contributed to this story. James Dellinger. I don`t know.. Megan Sharptons mother, who had an extremely close relationship with her, was horrified when she learned on social media that a body had been found burning off of Awalt Road, near Tims Ford Lake, in Franklin County. The autopsy further confirmed the rape but determined that Megan had died after being shot in the face. An arrest has been made in the case of a Tullahoma nursing student whose burned body was found in July. Ms. Sharpton was a Graphic Designer at A.E.D.C. Jones was not charged with the murder of Megan Sharpton, however, only felon in possession of firearms. There was a lot of speculation in the town between Coffee and Franklin Counties. Im with my kids all the f--king time. Via school records, police found a woman named Naomi Jones. Uncles David (Kelsey) Hale and Alex Sharpton. He could have taken her body much deeper in the woods, but rather chose to leave it in a clearing, off the side of the road, where it would be easily discovered. Al Sharpton, commemorated her life at a funeral on Monday. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 1st, 2023 with burial following in Fairlawn Cemetery. The Great Sets Season 3 Premiere: Elle Fannning & Nicholas Hoult Return in First Look (PHOTO), Frasier: Bebe Neuwirth to Reprise Role as Lilith in Paramount+ Revival, Ed Sheeran announces only UK shows of 2023, 'I'd never wish that on anyone' The celebrities who regret their child star past, Scott Mitchell: I used to talk to Dame Barbara's illness before she died, Mrs. Gordon Pinsent, award-winning Canadian actor, dies at 92,Gordon Pinsent, an award-winning Canadian actor acclaimed for his performance as a heartbroken husband in the film "Away From Her," has died at 92. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Thunderstorms this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Create a password that only you will remember. She further stated that Megan was her classmate, and she had never contacted her with a job offer. You have permission to edit this article. There are other aspects of her case that are highly unusual, as well. pic.twitter.com/OAt6Wxm7, The Tullahoma News (@TullahomaNews) November 16, 2012. Over the years, Roger Hoan Brady had appealed his death penalty but was always turned down. Then their communication stopped where police later found Megans car. Moreover, Megans purse was found 5 miles away from where her body was dumped, which was then set on fire. You have permission to edit this article. The circumstances of Erika Megan Sharpton's death (which has been ruled a homicide) are quite unusual. "I wake up in the morning and I see my dead daughter's face," she said in the first weeks after Megan's July 2012 murder. Its almost like they knew Megan. Parents Kelly Hale Sharpton and Don Cornelius, Jr. Grandparents Maurice and Margaret Hale. She is survived by her parents, Maurice and Margaret Hale of Tullahoma; her children, Carrie (Michael) Taylor, of Huntsville, and Alex and Will Sharpton, of Tullahoma; her fianc, Don Cornelius, of Tullahoma; a sister, Anne S. Hale and her companion Laurie Weeks, of Albuquerque, N.M.; a brother, David G. (Kelsey Vaughn) Hale, of Seattle; her grandchildren, Chlo Taylor, Sophia Shelley and Gavin and Garrett Taylor; and aunts Brenda (Orville) Glenn, Jane Sherborne, Melissa Birdsong and Susan Harrell. People who knew Megan at the steakhouse where she worked were devastated by the news. Though Chris initially described a good relationship with Megan, his story soon started to unravel, and he admitted that their relationship became strained near the end. On Friday, Kelly Elizabeth Hale Sharpton took her own life in a Chattanooga hotel. Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. He pleaded guilty in February 2013. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Greatly beloved by her family, she leaves behind, in addition to her parents: aunt Tamela Laxton, aunt Cathy Sanford (Michael), aunt Linda Brown (Dennis), cousin Bianca Brown . All rights reserved. But then the results of the DNA collected from Megans body came back to detectives: Itwas a match to Donnie Jones. The funeral was held just two days after former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in the death of George Floyd and amid a national reckoning on racism and policing. Visitation with the family will be held Tuesday, November 12, 2013 from 4:00PM till 7:00 PM at Tullahoma Funeral Home. Experts fall on both sides of the fence in this matter. Ms. Sharpton was born in Milan, TN to Maurice and Margaret Stepp Hale. Naomi claimed not to know about the job offer. Parents Kelly Hale Sharpton and Don Cornelius, Jr. Grandparents Maurice and Margaret Hale. Ms. Sharpton was a Graphic Designer at A.E.D.C. Megan Sharpton was supposed to go to her mothers home to see her sister who was visiting from out of town. can stop at any time. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Megan Sharpton's mother tells WHNT News 19 Franklin County investigators ruled out her daughter's live-in boyfriend as a suspect early on in the investigation. It led us to believe thered been a sexual assault, Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller told producers. If you are intrigued to know more and want to find out where the perpetrator is today, we have got you covered. An autopsy showed that she died of blunt-force trauma. E-Book Overview Poultry Science, Chicken Culture is a collection of engrossing, witty, and thought-provoking essays about the chicken-the familiar domestic bird that has played an intimate part in our cultural, scientific, social, economic, legal, and medical practices and concerns since ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. She was a compassionate, caring soul, and planned a career in nursing. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. Donnie Jones initially denied any involvement in the case. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Erika Megan Sharpton. www.tullahomafuneralhome.com. Tullahoma Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. While police waited for the results, which would take weeks, they arrested Donnie Jones on gun charges related to a rifle they found in his vehicles trunk. in memory of Erika Megan Sharpton, please visit our floral store. But where did Megan go after leaving her boyfriends? Megan mentioned she would try to hook up with a possible patient (Megan was a nursing student), an elderly lady, I believe. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in the book. She is preceded in death by her daughter, Megan Sharpton. And the way the crime was covered up, or made to look, it would seem as if he had done this sort of thing before. DNA and CODIS linked the murder of Megan Sharpton to an ex-con named Donnie Frank Jones Jr., according to the website Blink On Crime. Copyright (c) 2004-2021 - NewsBlaze Pty. Investigators recognized the name right away. High 74F. Hours later, her body was discovered on fire on the side of aroad. Though they couldnt trace the number back to an owner, Detective Hindman did trace the phone to a local department store where someone had purchased it. With evidence piling high against Donnie Jones Jr., he was arrested and indicted with two counts of aggravated kidnapping, first-degree murder, and two counts of aggravated rape. pic.twitter.com/WeN8vEqm, Tanya Reeves (@reeves_tanya) September 28, 2012, Mothers Fight To Put Killer Behind Bars Ends In Her Own Tragic Death. Her pink purse was left in one spot, her red Mustang in another, and her burning body in yet a third location. Agents from the TBI and investigators from the Franklin County Sheriff's Department spent July 4 gathering evidence in connection with the murder of 24-year-old Erika Megan Sharpton of Tullahoma, who We know she met with her boyfriend after speaking with her mother, but he went to work, so he has a good alibi and has been cleared by the Franklin County Sheriffs Department. 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