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TBI investigation of Oak Ridge apartment death still open, ongoing

Posted at 5:15 pm February 8, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Thomas Stephen "T.S." Thrasher

Thomas Stephen “T.S.” Thrasher

The investigation of the death of an Oak Ridge man in an apartment in December 2014 remains open and ongoing, a state official said Monday.

Thomas Steven Thrasher Jr., 29, also known as “T.S.,” died December 8, 2014. He was found dead in a second-floor apartment when the Oak Ridge Police Department responded to a report of a possible intruder at about 4:40 a.m. that Monday at 615 West Vanderbilt Drive.

Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said that month that a criminal investigation was under way, but there had not been an arrest and no charges had been filed. Clark said at the time that an autopsy had been performed by the Anderson County medical examiner.

“As a result of the circumstances, the Oak Ridge Police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have been conducting a criminal investigation,” Clark said. “There has been no arrest or charges filed at this time.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Tennessee, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County District Attorney General, apartment death, Dave Clark, death investigation, Oak Ridge Police Department, Oak Ridge Today, ORPD, Susan Niland, T.S. Thrasher, TBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Thomas Steven Thrasher Jr.

Cocke County says case closed after widow releases suicide note, but parents dispute note

Posted at 3:07 pm June 16, 2015
By John Huotari 9 Comments

Alexander John Heitman

Alexander John Heitman

Officials say it was suicide. But the parents are skeptical.

So questions linger almost four years after Alexander John Heitman, 29, of Knoxville, was found dead in Cocke County after being reported missing by Oak Ridge Schools. Heitman reportedly died on Tranquility Ridge Drive outside Newport on July 25, 2011. Officials said it was suicide, a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

But Heitman’s parents, Don and Annette Heitman of Adams, Wisconsin, find it hard to believe. They aren’t the only ones. Some current and former Oak Ridge residents, including City Council member Trina Baughn, are also skeptical of the official cause of death.

Heitman’s widow, Kristie Heitman, is not. In February, she released a suicide note that she believes Alex, who was the supervisor of business and support services for Oak Ridge Schools, wrote the day before he died.

Neither is Cocke County Sheriff Armando Fontes. In March, he said the case is closed, and there is no reason to continue pursuing it. Investigators found no evidence that anyone else was involved, Fontes said.

But Don and Annette continue to seek answers. They started a website in October 2013 and used it to raise questions about the case. They’ve also asked for the death investigation to be re-opened, hired attorney Hugh Ward to help them, and won the support of Baughn and others. They’ve also asked the FBI to investigate. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Cocke County, Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Alex Heitman, Alexander John Heitman, Anderson County District Attorney, Annette Heitman, Armando Fonte, audit, Bill Dean, check fraud, check fraud ring, Chuck Cagle, Cocke County, Cocke County Sheriff's Department, Dave Clark, death investigation, digital analysis, Don Heitman, forensic analysis, fraud, Hugh Ward, Jim Akagi, Karen Gagliano, Kristie Heitman, Newport Plain Talk, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge Police Department, Oak Ridge Schools, ORPD, public records, Pugh and Company, Robert Caldwell, suicide, suicide note, Sword and Shield, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Terry Jarnigan, Tom Bailey, Tranquility Ridge Drive, Trina Baughn, Tyler Mayes, What Happened to Alex Heitman, William Brownlow Marsh

DA: Criminal investigation under way in apartment death, but so far, no arrest, charges

Posted at 12:34 pm December 11, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Dave Clark

Dave Clark

A criminal investigation is under way in the death of a 29-year-old man at an apartment in Oak Ridge early Monday, but there has not been an arrest yet and no charges have been filed, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said Thursday.

Thomas Steven Thrasher Jr., 29, was found dead in a second-floor apartment when the Oak Ridge Police Department responded to a report of a possible intruder at about 4:40 a.m. Monday at 615 West Vanderbilt Drive.

Clark said an autopsy has been performed by the Anderson County medical examiner.

“As a result of the circumstances, the Oak Ridge Police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have been conducting a criminal investigation,” Clark said. “There has been no arrest or charges filed at this time.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Tennessee, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County District Attorney General, apartment death, autopsy, criminal investigation, DA, Dave Clark, death investigation, Oak Ridge Police Department, ORPD, Rolling Hills Apartments, Susan Niland, TBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Thomas Steven Thrasher, West Vanderbilt Drive

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Classifieds

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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