McKenzie Indicted on Second Degree Murder Charge

March 11, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

A fatal shooting in August 2024 has resulted in a second-degree murder indictment against one man.

66-year-old William Anthony McKenzie of Streamer Drive, Smithville was indicted by the new term of the DeKalb County Grand Jury Tuesday, March 11 in the death of 39-year-old Earl Craig Asbury, Jr. at McKenzie’s residence.

Chief Deputy Brian Williams of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department issued the following prepared statement at the time of the incident. “On Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 6:54 p.m. Central Dispatch received a call of a possible shooting at 163 Streamer Drive. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department arrived on the scene at 7:05 p.m. and made contact with William McKenzie and then with a deceased male laying in the yard. The deceased male was 39-year-old Earl Craig Asberry Jr. of Smithville”.

“McKenzie, the suspect, was booked into the DeKalb County Jail and charged with TCA 39-13-210 Second Degree Murder.

Upon the request of Sheriff Patrick Ray, the 13th Judicial District Attorney’ Generals Office summoned the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to the scene.

On scene were Sheriff Patrick Ray, Chief Deputy Williams, DeKalb County Sheriff Deputies, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Detectives, the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office and Assistant District Attorney General Greg Strong.

The arrest warrant stated at the time that “The investigation revealed that McKenzie, by his own admission, did intentionally and knowingly discharge a firearm striking the victim, Earl Craig Asberry, Jr. multiple times in the Turso area resulting in his death. Prior to the arrival of law enforcement, the investigation revealed that McKenzie made several attempts to conceal the body and made comments of intentions to remove the body from the scene”.

McKenzie was among 20 people indicted by the grand jury Tuesday, March 11

All those indicted and their charges are as follows:

Shane Curtis Gardner: aggravated assault

Matthew Dewayne Griffith: false reports

Jill Henderson: disrupting a meeting and/or procession

Markus Jay Majka: evading arrest and resisting arrest

Howard Robert Mayo, Jr.: possession of a schedule II drug (meth) over 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver

William Anthony McKenzie: second degree murder

Martha Renee Kirby Norris: possession of a schedule II drug (meth) over 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver and possession of a schedule I drug (heroin) with intent to sell or deliver

Hani Mohammad Sirhan Ittayem: possession of a schedule II drug (meth) over 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver; possession of a schedule II drug cocaine over 0.5 grams with intent to sell/deliver; and evading arrest

Jay Lee Mullican: possession of a schedule II drug (amphetamine) with intent to sell or deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia

Willie Ray Murphy: possession of a schedule II drug ( meth) over 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver

Amanda Lanette Knowles: filing a false report

Keith Clifford Lafreniere: violation community supervision of life (3 counts) and violation of the sex offender registry

Timothy Ryan Lawson: especially aggravated kidnapping; aggravated rape (2 counts); rape (2 counts); aggravated assault; and interference  with emergency calls

Jeremy Trent Sanders: DUI and DUI per se

William Joseph Scott: DUI; DUI per se; possession of a handgun while under the influence

Jason Richard Skaroupka: sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (meth) over 0.5 grams (2 counts); felony possession of a handgun; and possession of drug paraphernalia

Carlos Edward Lopez Stiff: aggravated assault

Michael Lynn Vance: simple possession of a schedule II drug (meth) and possession of drug paraphernalia

Destry Jordan Wiggins: DUI and DUI per se

John Brent Williams: especially aggravated kidnapping; aggravated robbery; and aggravated assault (2 counts)

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