East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers
HOTLINE: 865-215-7165

Park City Knoxville Neighborhood Rings Out with Gun Shots
September 18, 2023

Crack the Case
September 07, 2023

Family Faced with 1-Year Without Answers
September 02, 2023

Crack the Case
August 23, 2023

Family Asking for Help in Solving Murder
August 16, 2023

Do You Hold the Missing Piece?
August 02, 2023

William Edward Burris’ life was cut short on August 2, 2022 at the age of 53. Burris was born in Knoxville in April 1969 and left behind his parents, sister and children to grieve for him.

The Knoxville Police Department received a call at around 5:30 a.m. on August 2, 2022 of a man that had been assaulted and stabbed at the Morningside Gardens apartments on Bertrand Street. When officers arrived they found Burris and though both the Knoxville Fire Department and Rural Metro responded to the scene and took life saving measures they were unable to help him and Burris was pronounced deceased. 

Detectives spoke with witnesses and were able to get a description of two suspects. Though detectives are still actively investigating they are asking members of the community to come forward and help this grieving family.

 Someone knows the name or names of the people involved in this stabbing, they know where the person or persons responsible for his untimely death can be found, and they know that if this happened to one of their loved ones they’d want someone to come forward and provide the answers. East Tennessee makes this easy by providing a completely anonymous way to share information and if the information provided leads to an arrest we will pay a CASH reward.

Life Lost Near Railroad Tracks
March 07, 2023

On Monday, March 7, 2022, Knoxville Police officers were called to the area of E. Jackson Av. and Morgan St about someone being shot. As they searched the area they found Jeremy Paul, 44 near the railroad tracks off Humes St with at least one gunshot wound.

Jeremy left behind a sister, brother and three children and all of them want to know who killed the man they called brother and dad.

One Night Changes an Entire Families
March 05, 2023

On Saturday, March 5, 2022, an entire family had their lives changed when they lost their son, brother, and grandson. They are still looking for answers and asking the community to come forward with any information, no matter how small it may seem.

Knoxville Police responded to a call of a shooting in parking lot Q of Montgomery Village at about 11:20 PM that night and found Ricky Bernard Waters, 18 suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

Ricky was set to graduate Fulton High School just a few months later with plans to attend Tennessee Tech to become a welder. He had spent the first three years of high school attending Austin-East HS where he played basketball then transferred to Fulton High where he was always known to be a hard worker who had a smile on his face.

His mother said that their family had recently returned from a trip to Orlando and was planning a trip to Jamaica to celebrate Ricky’s graduation.

His family wants justice, they want anyone with any information to come forward, to submit a tip to East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers. Anyone submitting a tip through Crime Stoppers will remain 100% anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Ricky’s grandmother, Rhonda Walton says, “he was loved so much by our family, and we want to see justice served.”

Help this family get the justice they deserve. If you have any information about the death of Ricky Waters submit a tip to East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers.

Knoxville Police Seek Information on Stabbing
February 06, 2023

Still Searching for Answers 1-Year Later
January 21, 2023

On January 21, 2022 Donald DeShazo, 47 was found dead inside a home at 2418 Wilson Avenue by Knoxville Firefighters who had responded to a house fire at round 8:50 PM.

Based on evidence it was determined that DeShazo had been shot and that the fire had been intentionally set in an effort to destroy evidence.

Two days prior, on January 19th Knoxville Police officers responded to the 2400 block of Selma Avenue regarding a stabbing. During the investigation, officers learned that a woman had been stabbed and sexually assaulted at a nearby location. The victim stated that prior to the incident she was with DeShazo, and that the two went to an unknown location to purchase marijuana. While at this location the victim stayed in the car while DeShazo went inside. After receiving several phone calls from DeShazo’s phone the victim went inside where she was met by a black male wearing a mask and pointing a gun at her head. This individual forced her into a bathroom, stabbed her multiple times and sexually assaulted her. While in the bathroom she heard two people arguing with DeShazo.

Investigators have learned that DeShazo was involved in drug trafficking and is originally from the Detroit, Michigan area. Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen any suspicious people or activity around 2418 Wilson Avenue between 4 and 7 PM on January 19th and from 7 and 8:45 PM on January 21st to call East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165 or **TIPS, submit a tip online at www.EastTNValleyCrimeStoppers.org or use the P3 TIPS app.

Anyone submitting a tip through East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and if your tip leads to an arrest you will receive a CASH reward.