Teen charged in juvenile petition with aggravated arson and first-degree murder in death of his father

April 7, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A 15-year-old boy is accused of being responsible for a fire in December which claimed the life of his father.

Alex Lemons was taken into custody Thursday evening at the sheriff’s department. He has been named in a juvenile petition for aggravated arson and first-degree murder in the death of 43-year-old Edward Lemons. The fire occurred at Lemons’ home at 5056 Jacobs Pillar Road.

Lemons made his first juvenile court appearance Monday but Judge Bratten Cook, II issued a gag order preventing the parties from discussing the case outside of court.

Although Sheriff Patrick Ray did not release the boy’s name on advice of the District Attorney General’s Office, the local media confirmed it independently. The teen is a student at DeKalb County High School.

“Today we took out petitions on a 15-year-old male. The petition is for first degree murder and aggravated arson,” said Sheriff Ray.

“On or about December 7, 2021, this juvenile did knowingly and intentionally set a residential fire located at 5056 Jacobs Pillar Road, Smithville which resulted in the death of his father, Edward Lemons,” said Sheriff Ray, reading from the petition.

“He was picked up this evening (Thursday) and we had a transport order that was signed by Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II. The boy was being housed in Cookeville at the detention center pending the Monday hearing,” added Sheriff Ray.

“We believe he intentionally set the fire with an accelerant. We, along with the Fire Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, gathered numerous items of evidence at the scene that were sent off to crime labs and those things support our case. Accelerant detecting dogs deployed at the scene were also helpful during the fire investigation,” added Sheriff Ray.

Sheriff Ray would not speculate on a motive for the fire. Whether or not the boy is to be prosecuted later as an adult has yet to be determined.

“This is a sad situation involving a family that is highly thought of by this community,” said Sheriff Ray.

E-911 dispatchers received a call at 8:02 p.m. on December 7 reporting a house fire at 5056 Jacobs Pillar Road. The Main Station, Blue Springs, Belk,, Cookeville Highway, and Liberty stations with the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department quickly responded, along with deputies with the DeKalb Sheriff’s Department and a unit with DeKalb EMS.

Upon arrival firefighters found the split-level home with fire engulfing the lower area of the structure. There was also a report that Edward Lemons, the resident, was trapped inside. Fire crews worked to contain the blaze, trying to keep the fire from spreading to the upper bedrooms, where Lemons was believed to be located. Despite firefighters’ best efforts, they were unable to reach Lemons in time. The home was destroyed in the blaze.

After the fire fundraisers were held in support of the Lemons family and a bank account was established which reportedly has amassed tens of thousands of dollars. Sheriff Ray said what happens to those funds might be decided later by a judge through civil court proceedings.

April 7, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

After spending 27 years in prison for the 1995 kidnapping and brutal killing of two people in DeKalb County, 54-year-old Chris Tatrow wants to be a free man but any hopes he had of gaining release on parole anytime soon may have been dashed at his parole hearing Thursday.

At the conclusion of the session, hearing officer Roberta Kustoff, a Parole Board member, cast her vote to decline parole for Tatrow due to the seriousness of the offense but a final decision is not anticipated for a couple of weeks. “The file will go to other parole board members who will independently review and vote until there are enough concurring votes to reach a final decision. In Tatrow’s case, there needs to be four concurring votes by board members before a final decision is reached. Generally, it takes approximately a couple of weeks to finalize,” said Dustin Krugel, Communications Director for the Tennessee Board of Parole.

CHRIS TATROW STORY

The parole hearing for Tatrow, who is serving a life sentence for first degree murder in the killings of John Harry and Roger Zammit, was held at the Northwest Correctional Complex (NWCX) in Lake County at Tiptonville, Tennessee where Tatrow is incarcerated. Tatrow has spent half of his life behind bars because of the crimes. This was Tatrow’s second appearance before members of the Tennessee Board of Parole. His first was in October 2019

District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway and Zammit’s sister spoke out against parole for Tatrow during Thursday’s hearing.

“Today, I attended the Parole Hearing for Inmate Christopher Tatrow and spoke in opposition to his release from prison,” said DA Dunaway in a prepared statement. “He was convicted by a Jury of the first-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping of two young men. John Allen Harry and Roger Dale Zammit. At the conclusion of the Parole Hearing, the hearing officer, a Parole Board member, cast her vote to decline parole due to the seriousness of the offense. John Allen Harry and Roger Dale Zammit were both murdered on January 29, 1995 in DeKalb County. The trial was held in Cumberland County. John and Roger were kidnapped, held against their will, beaten and tortured over a 3 day period. After their deaths their murderer threw their bodies into Center Hill Lake. Unfortunately, the family of violent crime victims must deal with their pain and grief for the rest of their lives. Roger Zammit’s sister testified today. Her pain was apparent. She stated that “sitting here and him being up for parole is shocking in itself. I have to go to a cemetery to talk to my brother. I have to come to this hearing and try to convince a system to not let the killer of my brother out of prison.” This horrible case devastated the Harry and Zammit families and continues to do so, even today. Please take a moment to remember John and Roger and lift them and their families up in prayer,” said DA Dunaway.

April 7, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Smithville Mayor Josh Miller will be unopposed for re-election on August 4th.

Today (Thursday, April 7) at noon was the qualifying deadline for the Smithville Municipal Election. Miller will be running for his second term as mayor.

Meanwhile three people are seeking one of two aldermen positions up for election August 4.

The candidates are Incumbent Alderman Beth Chandler, Don Crook, and Rhonda Tiefenauer. Two from that group will be elected.

All terms are for four years.

In the Liberty Municipal Election, a mayor and five aldermen will be elected on August 4.

Incumbent Mayor Jason Hayes Ray will be challenged by Audrey M. Martin while six candidates will be in the running for one of the Alderman seats including Kendra Stanford, James Ryan Dodd and Incumbents William H. Reynolds, Jr., Derek Johnson, Joe D. Bratten, and Kevin R. Mullinax.

All terms are for four years.

The Alexandria Municipal Election on August 4 will feature a contested race for Mayor between Lloyd D. Dyer and Jana Beth Tripp, who both currently serve as Aldermen.

In Alexandria, voters are to elect a Mayor to a full four-year term and were to have elected three Aldermen each to a full four-year term; and two Aldermen to fill unexpired terms. Only one person, Curtis J. Rutter qualified to run for an unexpired Alderman seat.

In Dowelltown, the Municipal Election on August 4 was to elect two Aldermen each to a full four-year term but only one will be elected. Incumbent Alderman Greg Fish is the lone candidate on the ballot.

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