Knoxville Police say a Suspect is in Custody and the Murder Victim is Identified after Body is Found in a Western Heights Apartment

Knoxville Police say a Suspect is in Custody and the Murder Victim is Identified after Body is Found in a Western Heights Apartment

Posted on January 8, 2024

The Knoxville Police department has identified the victim in a fatal shooting.

39 year-old Andrea Moore was found dead in a Western Heights apartment in the 1400 block of W. Oldham Avenue on Friday afternoon. Police were searching for
Reginald Depriest, who is charged with First-degree murder in connection to this case, but he turned himself late Friday night.

Original Press Release:

UPDATE: Reginald Depriest turned himself in late last (Saturday) night and is now in custody.

KPD NEWS RELEASE: Suspect Charged in Death of Woman at Western Heights Apartment

Knoxville Police Department Homicide Unit detectives have obtained a warrant charging Reginald Depriest, 26, with first-degree murder in connection to the death of a woman at a Western Heights apartment on Friday afternoon. 

At around 4:10 p.m. on Friday, January 5, 2024, KPD officers responded to an apartment at 1423 W. Oldham Avenue, where a woman was found unresponsive inside the apartment. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. 

KPD Homicide Unit detectives and Crime Lab personnel responded to the scene for further investigation. 

Leads developed in the course of the investigation led to the identification of Depriest as the suspect. Efforts remain ongoing to locate Depriest. 

Anyone with information concerning his whereabouts is urged to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165. Tipsters can remain anonymous. 

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office Says Missing, Endangered Teen is Found Out of State

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office Says Missing, Endangered Teen is Found Out of State

Posted on January 7, 2024

Update: The Knox County Sheriff’s Office says 16 year-old Kaitlynn Marie Van-Auken has been found safe in South Carolina.

Original story: The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help to find an endangered, missing teen.

16-year-old Kaitlynn Marie Van-Auken, who goes by Marie, was last seen early Saturday morning in the Middlebrook Pike and N. Gallagher View area.

She is 16 years old with brown hair with green/blue tips and is 5’1”, and weighs about 130 pounds.

Anyone with information, contact the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detectives at 865-215-2243.

Blount Co Sheriff’s Office Warning of Pervasive Telephone Scam

Blount Co Sheriff’s Office Warning of Pervasive Telephone Scam

Posted on January 5, 2024
(Courtesy: BCSO Facebook)

Maryville, TN (WOKI) Authorities in Blount County continue getting the word out about a telephone scam plaguing the area.

Sheriff’s deputies are warning, once again, that a scammer is leaving voicemails posing as Lt. James Perry from the Civil Service Division. If you get this call, it IS a scam.

The Blount County Sheriff’s Office says they do not have a James Perry working for them, and they do not have a Civil Service Division. They advise, if you get this call . . . HANG UP!

Sheriff’s Office: 15-Year-Old Dead Following ‘Accidental Shooting’ in Rockwood

Sheriff’s Office: 15-Year-Old Dead Following ‘Accidental Shooting’ in Rockwood

Posted on January 5, 2024
(Frankly Media)

Rockwood, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway in Roane County after a 15-year-old is fatally wounded Tuesday in what police suspect may have been an accidental shooting.

Officials with the Roane County Sheriff’s Office say the shooting happened around 1:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 2 at a home in Rockwood. They say the victim may have shot himself accidentally.

RCSO has yet to release the full circumstances surrounding the shooting or the identities of anyone involved.

Tennessee Baseball 2024 Preseason All-America Selections

Tennessee Baseball 2024 Preseason All-America Selections

Posted on January 5, 2024

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – As the 2024 baseball season approaches, a running list of Tennessee players that have earned preseason All-America honors can be found below.

This article will be updated periodically as the remainder of the 2024 preseason All-America teams are released over the coming weeks.

Perfect Game (Released on Jan. 4)

Link to Perfect Game Release

INF Billy Amick – Second Team (3B)
2023 Stats (at Clemson): 46 GP, 42 GS, .413/.464/.772, 37 R, 69 H, 17 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 63 RBI, 129 TB, 13 BB, 7 HBP, 32 K, 2-2 SB

RHP Drew Beam – Second Team (SP)
2023 Stats: 17 APP, 17 GS, 9-4, 3.63 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 1 CG, 84.1 IP, 23 BB, 88 K, 3 WP, 5 HBP, .267 BAA

INF Christian Moore – Third Team (2B)
2023 Stats: 63 GP, 61 GS, .304/.444/.603, 66 R, 65 H, 13 2B, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 129 TB, 50 BB, 7 HBP, 67 K, 16-18 SB

The Vols open their 2024 season in Arlington, Texas at the Shriners Children’s College Baseball Showdown presented by Kubota.

The tournament will be held on Feb. 16-18 at Globe Life Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers. UT will square off against Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Baylor. Tickets for the event can be purchased HERE.

The full 2024 schedule can be found HERE.

Courtesy / UT Sports
KFD: Passerby Credited with Saving Lives after Warning Strangers Their Knoxville Home was on Fire

KFD: Passerby Credited with Saving Lives after Warning Strangers Their Knoxville Home was on Fire

Posted on January 5, 2024
Knoxville Fire Department crews respond to a fire at a home on Jefferson Avenue in East Knoxville Thursday (Courtesy: KFD)

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Fire Department is crediting a passerby who warned strangers that their house was on fire Thursday, possibly saving their lives.

Mark Wilbanks with KFD says that crews responded to the home on Jefferson Avenue Thursday afternoon. Once there, crews learned that someone walking by had seen that the attic was on fire and warned the people inside. That Good Samaritan then left the scene.

The home’s smoke detectors didn’t go off, Wilbanks said, because of how high the fire was in the house.

No one was injured, but the house was heavily damaged in the attic and porch areas. Another home saw minor damage because of the heat of the flames.

Morristown Arson Suspect Planned to Burn More Buildings, Warrant Says

Morristown Arson Suspect Planned to Burn More Buildings, Warrant Says

Posted on January 5, 2024
Jeffrey Scott Cicirelli was arrested and charged with arson, reckless endangerment, burglary and vandalism. (Courtesy: MPD)

Morristown, TN (WOKI)

Investigators in Hamblen County say the man charged with setting fire to a downtown building, also planned to start more fires.

According to a warrant, police found Jeffery Scott Cicirelli at a Morristown hotel where he admitted to setting the fire in the Parks-Belk building earlier this week and also said he planned to set more buildings on fire.

The building, burned, was valued at more than a quarter of a million dollars and was part of a plan to renovate much of downtown Morristown.

Woman Found Safe after TBI Issues Silver Alert

Woman Found Safe after TBI Issues Silver Alert

Posted on January 5, 2024
Stephaine Harvey, 26 is located and is safe, says TBI (Courtesy: TBI)

Sevierville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Silver Alert for a missing Sevier County woman has been canceled.

TBI had issued the alert Friday morning for 26-year-old Stephaine Harvey. TBI officials report Harvey has been located and is safe.

Harvey had last been seen Thursday night, on foot, in the area of Lloyd Huskey Road in Pigeon Forge.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a Silver Alert for a missing Sevier County woman.

Police are asking for help finding 26-year-old Stephaine Harvey who has a medical condition that may impair her ability to return safely without assistance.

Police are asking for help finding 26-year-old Stephaine Harvey. (Courtesy: TBI)

Harvey was last seen Thursday night, on foot, in the area of Lloyd Huskey Road in Pigeon Forge; she was wearing a black and white plaid jacket and dark jeans.

Harvey is described as 5′8″, 130 pounds, w/ brown hair and brown eyes.

If you have any information about Stephaine, call the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office at 865-453-4668 or 1-800-TBI-FIND.

UT Medical Center Implements Visitor Restrictions

UT Medical Center Implements Visitor Restrictions

Posted on January 4, 2024
(Courtesy: UT Medical Center)

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The University of Tennessee Medical Center is implementing visitor restrictions due to an increase in flu and COVID activity.

UTMC announced this week that anyone under the age of 12 and anyone exhibiting signs of illness are restricted from visiting patients at this time. Signs of illness include cough, congestion, and stomach upset. This restriction does not include those seeking care.

Data released by the CDC late last month placed Tennessee among the states with “very high” levels of respiratory illness, to include influenza, COVID-19 and RSV.

Suspect Wanted in Bean Station Armed Robbery

Suspect Wanted in Bean Station Armed Robbery

Posted on January 4, 2024
(Courtesy: East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers)

Bean Station, TN (WOKI) Police in Bean Station are asking for help to find a suspect who robbed an area convenience store at gunpoint.

Authorities say the armed robbery occurred shortly after 8:00 p.m. on December 27 at the By-Lo on 524 Highway 25E in Bean Station.

If you have any information, you are asked to call East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.

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