The jury in the Michael Curtis murder trial started deliberations on Monday afternoon. After a long day the jury announced it was deadlocked on Tuesday, but the judge sent them back into deliberations to try and reach a verdict. The jury came back a few minutes later with a conviction of voluntary manslaughter.
Curtis of Tullahoma was accused of the brutal killing of Kayla Qualls Nov. 26, 2012 at his residence on General Street in Tullahoma and then placing her body in her SUV and driving it to an area on Spring Creek Road in Franklin County. Two men discovered Qualls’ body, the mother of Curtis’ grandchildren in the rear seat of her vehicle. An autopsy revealed that she had been beaten to death.
Curtis’ sentencing date was set for December 9. He could serve between 3-16 years.

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an alleged incident between four football players and a female equipment manager in the field house during the afternoon hours of September 11. Sheriff Clint Shrum stated the alleged incident occurred after the 3:00 pm pre-game meal.
Shrum said his office is investigating whether or not inappropriate touching may have occurred and if explicit images had been transmitted.
The Sheriff also stated that rumors of rape are completely unfounded and not supported by any of the evidence in this case thus far. The findings in this case will be turned over the District Attorney’s office to determine if charges are warranted.
Sheriff Shrum said due to the sensitive nature of the case and the fact that juveniles are involved, no other information will be released.

A burglary occurred at Lee’s Pharmacy in Sevierville Monday afternoon that later resulted in a multiple-vehicle crash.
Suspect Robert F. Nunley, II, 43, of Tracy City, fled the scene in a black Land Rover that police had identified as a vehicle possibly leaving the scene after the burglary. Nunley led police on a chase in which the suspect “jumped curbs” and attempted to drive on a sidewalk before rear-ending a stopped car at a traffic light. The crash caused a chain reaction, damaging two other vehicles. The Land Rover and one police car were also damaged. Police discovered that the Land Rover had been reported stolen in Athens, TN in June.
Nunley was arrested at the scene and charged with aggravated assault, possession of burglary tools, evading arrest, reckless driving, theft of property, use of a stolen vehicle, and vandalism.
Three people suffered minor injuries from the accident and were taken to a nearby hospital.
Nunley was released after posting a $135,000 bond.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has announced the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) Wildlife Management Area units 1 & 2 first come, first serve 2015 deer permits will go on sale Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 8 a.m.
Permits can be purchased at any TWRA license agent or through the internet at http://www.tnwildlife.org.
Hunters who purchase the permit are reminded that they will need to retain their receipt. The receipt will serve as the permit. No phone sales will be accepted.
A permit fee will not be charged to Annual Sportsman (Type 004) or Lifetime Sportsman (Types 402 thru 405) license holders or an Annual Senior Citizen Permit (Type 167). For all other license holders, the cost is $12 per permit, plus agent fee.
Customers can only obtain one permit per hunt choice. Customers can obtain one permit for each hunt choice for a total of three permits per person.
First come, first serve permits are sold one at a time per transaction. Customers can purchase permits for others as long as they have all their pertinent information. The same one permit per hunt choice applies.
The privilege codes for the first come, first serve AEDC WMA permits are as follows:
345 for Lifetime and Annual Sportsman and Seniors holding a current Type 167, 346 for all other license holders.
This applies to youths and adults purchasing a permit. AEDC consists of 32,000 acres and is located in Coffee and Franklin counties. Unit 1 was previously known as the TNARNG maneuver area. Unit 2 is the Camp Forrest area, from the golf course to UTSI road and Wattendorf Memorial Highway to the southern boundary. (Shelbyville Times-Gazette)

Big Smo is coming to Tullahoma this weekend. The man from Bedford County who took the country by storm last year with his hit TV show on A&E will be performing live Saturday night beginning at 9:15pm during the 41-A Music and Arts Festival. The always fun event will startup Friday night in downtown Tullahoma with profits from the event going to local children’s charities. Big Smo, a self-proclaimed ‘hick-hop’ artist, mixes country, hip-hop, rock, and pop into his own kind of music. Kicking off the Saturday night lineup will be local southern alternative group, The Stagger Moon Band. Friday will be headlined by the popular “Resurrection”, a Journey tribute band. The event is sponsored by the Highland Rim Kiwanis Club.