A news release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations confirmed that authorities charged a 28-year-old woman with two counts of criminal homicide in connection with the death of her grandparents. The attorney general for the state’s 24th district had requested that the TBI investigate the case. Police placed the woman in the Benton County Jail, and the court determined her bond amount should be $500,000.
The two people allegedly killed by the woman were an 82-year-old man and 67-year-old woman. When one of them failed to show up for work, someone at the workplace considered the absence unusual and requested that police make a welfare check.
When local law enforcement showed up at the residence, the couple’s vehicles were in the garage and the house was completely locked up. Authorities have yet to provide details about how the people died.
Accusations of homicide could lead to serious consequences for an individual if a conviction results. A person in such a situation may seek legal advice before giving statements to law enforcement. Investigators and prosecutors are typically keen to solve homicides quickly, but the suspect’s attorney might curb their aggressive efforts by standing up for the person’s rights. Because the stakes include the possibility of prison, a person charged with homicide might want the representation of an attorney familiar with defending violent crime charges. An attorney who practices in that legal area may know how to evaluate criminal evidence and develop a defense strategy. A criminal law attorney might also be in a position to negotiate directly with a prosecutor and challenge weak evidence. Such an effort may improve a person’s chance of receiving a fair trial or receiving a plea bargain for lesser charges.