PUTNAM COUNTY, TN – Suspect Willie Nathan Jones has been arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault and Second Degree Murder in connection with the double shooting that took place yesterday on White Oak Flatt Road in Putnam County.
The incident was first reported in a 911 call that was received at approximately 4:54 a.m. on Wednesday, October 07, 2015. The caller stated that two people had been shot. Deputies arrived to find one deceased male, Rodney Alan Richards, age 47, at the home where the incident occurred. The second victim, a female, was located at a nearby address and was Life Flighted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. She has undergone surgery and is in stable but critical condition.
“This is a tragedy for the fine residents of the Phifer Mountain community,” said Sheriff Eddie Farris. “Once again, illegal drug activity may have played a part in yet another senseless death. I would like to thank all of our deputies as well as the Tennessee Highway Patrol and White County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in yesterday’s incident and the media for their persistence in locating Jones. By working together, we were able to search a rural area of the county with some extremely rough terrain and take the subject into custody within five hours of the original 911 call with no further incident. Everyone working the case yesterday exhibited tremendous professionalism and dedication.”
Willie Nathan Jones was booked into the Putnam County Jail and charged with Aggravated Assault with a bond amount of $50,000 and Second Degree Murder with a bond amount of $1,000,000. He is scheduled to appear in General Sessions Court this Friday.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an ongoing investigation into this incident. If you have any information regarding this case, please contact us at (931) 528-8484.