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. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. Megan was suppose to drop by her family's house that day (a Sunday, July 1st), since her sister was in town. A time of death placed the murder occurring before midnight. "I wake up in the morningand I see my dead daughter's . February 23, 2023, 5:15 AM. Experts fall on both sides of the fence in this matter. Once firefighters took care of the spreading fire, they found the body of a young woman, burning and completely naked from the waist down. Ms. Sharpton was a Graphic Designer at A.E.D.C. Her pink purse was left in one spot, her red Mustang in another, and her burning body in yet a third location. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in the book. We are trying to help Sara and her family with medical and living expenses. It would be nice if I could tune in a little closer, yea, it would help a great deal. Kelly Sharpton, though, says she is running out of patience quickly. 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. A Tennessee man charged with killing a Tullahoma nursing student has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to life in prison without parole. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Megan Sharpton Death Investigation Latest | WHNT.com Huntsville News & Weather from WHNT Television News19 HD. Gifford was brought into the station for questioning but seemed eager to defend himself: He said he purchased the burner phone for a man named Donnie Jones. People who knew Megan at the steakhouse where she worked were devastated by the news. A celebration of her life will follow at a later date. Police gathered that Megan had been sexually assaulted or raped and had suffered blunt force trauma as her skull had visible dents. Staff writer Tim Omarzu contributed to this story. Donnie Jones was a police informant with a long rap sheet that included crimes related to theft and drugs. Sharpton went deep into history to reference a queen with African roots that was hidden by the British monarchy at the time but he was. Only $2.00 additional per month! In an interview with CNN, Kelly Hale Sharpton discussed her daughters love for people. On Nov. 5, 2012, the state charged Donnie Jones with first-degree murder, rape, and two counts of aggravated kidnapping. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Kelly Sharpton of Tullahoma, the mother of murder victim Megan Sharpton, meets with reporters outside the Coffee County Justice Center in Manchester in October 2012. Initially, the police had multiple leads in the investigation, and they even looked at Megans boyfriend as a suspect. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Erika Megan Sharpton, 2023 Tullahoma Funeral Home. My life wont be spent on what should happen to him [Jones]. On July 1st, Megan made plans to meet with her family for dinner, but calls to cancel after an unexpected job interview presents itself. Megan Sharpton, 24, was a resident of Tullahoma, Tennessee, and was a couple of months away from earning her college degree. Erika "Megan" Sharpton, also known as Megan Sharpton, was a Tennessee woman who was found dead and burning in what was thought to be a grass fire five years ago. Messages left for the Chattanooga Police Department seeking additional information on Kelly Sharptons death were not returned by press time. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. He reported it immediately believing that it was a grass fire. Bob Clemens, of Moore County, designed the memorial, which stands more than 7 feet tall with 24 metal stars that gleam in the sunlight one for each year of Megans life. Her obituary in the Tullahoma News described Sharpton as the world's "brightest star" and "a compassionate, caring soul." . (No Ratings Yet) Invalid password or account does not exist. He was the son of the late . Sharpton's 1995 Ford Mustang was found on Three Forks Bridge Road in Bedford County. His spokeswoman says Ada Sharpton passed away early Thursday morning in Dothan, Ala., following a long battle with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The amazing Erika Megan Sharpton was torn from us July 2, 2012, age 24. Governors preliminary budget includes purchase of Coffee County megasite, PublicSq., a Leading Values-Aligned Marketplace, to Go Public via Combination with Colombier Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: CLBR), Shocking development at Hands-On Science Center, Local businesses awarded for service to community, Alzheimers Tennessee daytime support group meetings, Tullahoma Sangha at Unitarian Universalist Church of Tullahoma, Tullahoma Winter Shelter locations and hours, 10963 Old Tullahoma Rd, Tullahoma, TN 37388, 4772 Old Manchester Hwy, Tullahoma, TN 37388. Jim was born on March 8, 1930 in Atlanta, GA. Kelly Sharpton was the mother of Megan Sharpton, whose burned body was found July 2, 2012, at Awalt Road in Franklin County. For more on this case and others like it, stream episodes of "An Unexpected Killer" here. Siblings Caroline (Michael) Taylor, Alex Sharpton, Will Sharpton, Cameron (Lindsay) Sharpton, and Leah Sharpton. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The Circumstances of Megan Sharptons Murder are Incredibly Bizarre! She was 47. Megan Sharpton, 24, was a resident of Tullahoma, Tennessee, and was a couple of months away from earning her college degree. Fly free our angel mom.". In an interview with The News last fall, prior to Jones arrest and conviction, Kelly Sharpton said she understood the publics frustration with the amount of time it took law enforcement authorities to arrest Jones, but said she was confident the case was being handled properly. The victim was identified as24-year-old Megan Sharpton of Tullahoma, Tennessee. Born in St. Paul on Oct. 27, 2000, and raised in Minneapolis from the time he was 7, Wright was "taken from his family and friends too soon and leaves a hole in their heart that will never be. She was very loved by her family, her friends, and the whole community. 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 . Officials at Arnold Air Force Base are asking local residents to prepare accordingly for some possible traffic disruptions this month due to upcoming large deliveries to the base. Tragedy has hit a local family for the second time in as many years. Sharpton, of Tullahoma, was pronounced dead at Erlanger hospital of an apparent suicide, though. Megan was born on October 24, 1987 in Tullahoma, TN and died there July 2, 2012. He was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. Ms. Sharpton was born in Milan, TN to Maurice and Margaret Stepp Hale. The amazing Erika Megan Sharpton was torn from us July 2, 2012, age 24. Megan Sharptons boyfriend told detectives that he last saw her at the house before he left for work around 6:00 p.m. DELLINGER, Jr., James Ray James "Jim" Ray Dellinger, Jr., age 92, passed away on Friday, January 27, 2023. Investigators brought their attentions back to the job offer that Megan told friends and family about on the evening of her murder. She was 47. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.tullahomafuneralhome.com. Nobody should have to suffer the loss of a child. Kelly Elizabeth Hale Sharpton, of Tullahoma, died Friday, Nov. 8, at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga. Kelly Sharpton did not want her daughter to be remembered as that burned girl found on the side of the road. So she wrote the message Megan is her name on a rock at the site. Ms. Sharpton was a Graphic Designer at A.E.D.C. But she seemed to know that putting her daughter's killer in jail wouldn't be enough. We will miss her dearly and feel for her family. "The. According to WZTV FOX 17, police learned that Donnie Jones wife knew Megan. 25 days since this terrible homicide, and no suspects are yet emerging. With the case deepening into a mystery, the police looked into the number Megan received the call from and found it to belong to a burner cell. He received a life sentence with no possibility of parole. 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. Megan Sharpton Obituary - Death : Megan Sharpton- Funeral: Passed Away - We learnt on March, 29th, 2021, that Megan Sharpton has died with loved ones left in total devastation. 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. Tullahoma - The world has lost it's brightest star. Tullahoma, TN- Donnie Frank Jones, Jr, the primary suspect in the rape and murder of Megan Sharpton the evening of July 1, 2012, has been indicted for her rape and murder today in Franklin County, TN.. Additional arrests are expected in this case. However, when the foreign DNA on the victims body matched Donnies, the latter claimed that he had consensual sex with Megan and was not involved in her death. She'd been sexually assaulted and set on fire. Kelly Sharpton was born in Milan to Maurice and Margaret Stepp Hale. Uncles David (Kelsey) Hale and Alex Sharpton. Megan was that kind of kid, Kelly Sharpton said at the time. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She further stated that Megan was her classmate, and she had never contacted her with a job offer. The episode, titled "An Exclusive First Look into the Case of Megan Sharpton," will air at 8 p.m. on Friday on Oxygen's 1465 HD channel on Comcast and will also appear on channel 129, which . Next, the GPS data mapped Donnies phone, Megans phone, and the burner to the location where authorities believed Megan was raped and killed, and then finally to the site where two people found Megans body burning. She worked as a graphic designer at AEDC. Find Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok profiles, images and more on IDCrawl - free people search website. In this Apr 19, 2013, photo, Kelly Sharpton wears a bracelet that reads, "Shine on my starry girl, " in remembrance of her daughter Megan Sharpton. - Click to learn more.. Megan's car, a red 1995 Ford MUstang, was found near Highway 64 on Three Forks Bridge Road. She mattered to us all. 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. If you are intrigued to know more and want to find out where the perpetrator is today, we have got you covered. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Ms. Sharpton was a Graphic Designer at A.E.D.C. In 2013, Kelly Sharpton, Megans mother, took her own life. I don`t know.. She gave everybody the same benefit of the doubt. But Donnie Jones pleaded guilty and received a life sentence. 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. She has finally found the peace that was so allusive [sp] during the last sixteen months. The circumstances of Erika Megan Sharptons death (which has been ruled a homicide) are quite unusual. Her car was found the same day in another location near Three Forks Bridge. Jeffrey's sister reported the couple missing on August 7 . Jones, listed by police as the primary suspect for the past several weeks, was arrested late Monday by Franklin County Sheriff's Department investigators after being indicted by the Franklin County Grand Jury. 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. Eugene Brennan. "Justice is a word for this world. 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. She was a compassionate, caring soul, and planned a career in nursing. The GPS data from the phones came back with telling results: The burner phone moved along with Donnies cell phone, and the burner was used to make contact with Megan. Glasgow, 57, entered guilty pleas Friday to tax evasion,. She was very loved by her family, her friends, and the whole community. Investigation Discovery has picked up the story and will be dramatizing it on their crime documentary Murder Comes To Town. Where did the perpetrator get the gasoline (or whatever accelerant was used?) She was later identified as 24-year-old Erika Megan Sharpton of Coffee County. problematic punk bandsmary calderon quintanilla 27 februari, 2023 / i list of funerals at luton crematorium / av / i list of funerals at luton crematorium / av But when detectives arrived they found the smoldering corpse of a dead female. She loved her family dearly and supported many of us through our ups and downs as we did her. The location of Erika Megan Sharpton's body lies about two hours from Darden -- where Holly Bobo vanished in April of 2011. Investigators suspected foul play soon after first responders extinguished the fire, revealing an unidentified woman with stars tattooed behind her ears, wearing the burnt remnants of a nursing school shirt. She committed suicide inside of a motel room in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in November 2013. The autopsy further confirmed the rape but determined that Megan had died after being shot in the face. Read more about the life story of Erika and share your memory. 'We're losing control of our own children,'" he continued. Unable to disprove this, authorities had no choice but to let Donnie walk. Erika Megan Sharpton, also known as Megan Sharpton, was a Tennessee woman who was found dead and burning in what was thought to be a grass fire five years ago. Kelly Sharpton became her daughter's champion for justice and held up her slaying as an example of violent crime that costs young women their lives. 26 Feb Feb Months after the tragedy, 37-year-old Donnie Jones Jr. was arrested and charged with first degree murder, two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, and two counts of aggravated rape. Shine on our starry girl. 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. or call 931-455-4657 or email kboswell@tullahomanews.com. Kyle, 27, lived there with his girlfriend, Jennifer Valiante, 31. Currently, Donnie Jones Jr. is serving time at the Northeast Correctional Complex in Johnson County, Tennessee. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Moreover, authorities also managed to recover DNA evidence from the victims body and sent it in for testing, hoping it would lead them to the killer. Siblings Caroline (Michael) Taylor, Alex Sharpton, Will Sharpton, Cameron (Lindsay) Sharpton, and Leah Sharpton. By the condition of the body, it seemed that the victim had fought for her life. The man in the video was identified to be drug dealer Timothy Gifford whom the police immediately brought in for questioning. Donnie Jones is just a cold-blooded killer, said Detective Dyer. Sharpton, of Tullahoma, was pronounced dead at Erlanger hospital of an apparent suicide, though the case is still under investigation, according to Officer Tim McFarland of the Chattanooga Police Department. Police shifted their focus back to the boyfriend. She was active in grief groups that put her in contact with grieving mothers like herself all over the world. Ms. Sharpton was born in Milan, TN to Maurice and Margaret Stepp Hale. 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. to the family or plant a tree Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. It was like something youd see off a movie, George Dyer, Franklin County Sheriffs Office detective, toldAn Unexpected Killer, anOxygen series. Megan was a goal-oriented woman whod worked her way through school and was just two months shy of graduating college. Even with him denying the murder, authorities did not give up but depended on GPS tracking from the phone to figure out Donnies whereabouts. in memory of Erika Megan Sharpton, please visit our floral store. Parents Kelly Hale Sharpton and Don Cornelius, Jr. Grandparents Maurice and Margaret Hale. It's not a word for families and victims. Several puzzling elements of the crime are presented to the detectives working on Ms. Sharptons case. On Feb. 4, 2013, Donnie Jones was sentenced to life without parole. Chris Brown scooped two top prizes, beating the likes of Beyonce, Lizzo and Drake. And you know, actually, just had that compassion for people, that trust, that love for humans. Hours later, her body was discovered on fire on the side of aroad. Her death was a mystery. (BPT) - Do you know how much a power outage costs? Thats my call, and another call is that she knew her killer, if only vaguely. Justice will come one way or the other Peace will come when theres resolution and Im waiting on that peace.. After his conviction in Oregon, Brady was extradited to California, where he was put on trial for Officer Ganz's death. By the spring of 2015, Jeffrey and Jeanette were mapping out their retirement, according to "Killer Couples," airing Fridays at 8/7c on Oxygen. Her killer was Donnie Frank Jones Jr, who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for her rape and murder. She was very loved by her family, her friends, and the whole community. 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. Authorities were also successful in recovering Megans car, which was found abandoned a few miles away from where her body was found. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. | Updated November 13, 2013 at 12:27 p.m. Megan Sharpton's accused killer, Donnie Jones Jr., 37, faced first-degree murder, kidnapping and rape charges and pleaded guilty on Feb. 4, 2013, in Franklin County Circuit Court. Did he walk, possibly hitchhike, or did he have access to another vehicle? An online obituary may be viewed, and condolences left for the family at www.strodefh.com. She is preceded in death by her daughter, Megan Sharpton. Autopsy showed Sharpton died of blunt force trauma. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. 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. Tennessee detectives finally arrested Donnie and indicted him for murder. 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