Nashville motel shooting victim identified, woman charged with tampering
A Nashville woman faces tampering charges after a man was fatally shot at a motel—raising questions about what evidence she allegedly tried to conceal.
NASHVILLE — Metro Nashville police have identified a man who was fatally shot at a motel earlier this week and arrested a woman on evidence tampering charges in connection with the case.
The victim was identified as 32-year-old Marcus Johnson, according to Metro Nashville Police Department officials. Johnson was found shot to death at the Economy Inn on Dickerson Pike Tuesday evening.
Police arrested 28-year-old Sarah Mitchell on charges of tampering with evidence related to the shooting. She was booked into Metro jail Wednesday morning, police said.
Investigation Details
Officers responded to reports of shots fired at the Economy Inn around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. When they arrived, they found Johnson unresponsive in one of the motel rooms with apparent gunshot wounds.
Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene by Nashville Fire Department paramedics, police reported. The Metro Nashville Police Department’s homicide unit took over the investigation.
Detectives have not released details about what evidence Mitchell allegedly tampered with or her connection to the victim. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Arrest and Charges
Mitchell was taken into custody without incident at a residence on Gallatin Pike Wednesday morning, according to police. She is being held on $50,000 bond at the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office Downtown Detention Facility.
The evidence tampering charge is a Class E felony in Tennessee, punishable by up to six years in prison if convicted. Mitchell is scheduled to appear in General Sessions Court Thursday morning.
Police have not announced any arrests in connection with the actual shooting. Detectives are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
Ongoing Investigation
The Economy Inn has been the site of multiple police calls in recent months, according to Metro Nashville Police records. The motel is located in the 1400 block of Dickerson Pike in the Bordeaux neighborhood.
This marks the 47th homicide in Davidson County this year, compared to 52 at the same time last year, police statistics show. The Metro Nashville Police Department’s homicide unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Johnson’s death.
Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to contact police or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers. Rewards up to $5,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
