Category: News

Coffee County Historical Society, located in the historic courthouse on the square in Manchester, is now open on Saturday mornings from 9:00 to 1:00 for the convenience of its members and visitors who work during the week. The office remains open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 1:00 as well.
The Historical Society has been in operation since 1969 and during that time has published quite a number of books on the history of the county as well as marriage records going back to 1853, and transcribed census records for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880, which are for sale at very reasonable prices (with a 20% discount to members). Their library also contains cemetery records, publications on the history of Tennessee and numerous other counties, several cabinets of family genealogy files, published family history books, past volumes of local newspapers from the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and many other publications of interest to local residents. Many unusual old photos are also available.
Visitors are welcome to drop by the office and peruse these items any Wednesday, Friday or Saturday morning, and a knowledgeable volunteer is available to assist with research or questions. For more information, call the Historical Society office at 931-728-0145 or e-mail cchs1969@att.net.

On July 5th, 2011, Manchester Police Department took a preliminary investigative report on a missing person, Leo Paul George Massicotte III.  Mr. Massicotte was last seen on July 3rd exiting a vehicle and walking in the direction of A.E.D.C. property towards the Hillsboro area.
Investigator Ray “Butch” Stewart was assigned the case and began searching for Mr. Massicotte. Manchester Police, along with surrounding agencies performed a search on A.E.D.C. property. That search did not result in locating any evidence. Several interviews were performed by Inv. Stewart and other members of the Manchester Police Department. When all leads and interviews were exhausted, outside resources were utilized, in cooperation with inv. Stewart and were also unsuccessful. Investigator Jason Kennedy, (with M.P.D. at the time) was assigned to assist Inv. Stewart with the case, and this past Spring, in another effort to locate Mr. Massicotte, performed a second search of the A.E.D.C. area. Cellular phone forensics identified the area of the search as the last place the cell phone Mr. Massicotte was carrying was active. After several days of exhaustive searches, Manchester Police, along with several other agencies, were unable to locate any evidence and/or remains.
On November 10th, 2014, Manchester Police was notified by Arnold Police (A.E.D.C.) of human remains found by hunters in the same general area of the past searches. The scene was secured and the investigation began to identify the remains and to search for any evidence related. Several agencies were involved in the investigation: Manchester Police C.I.D., Coffee County Sheriff’s Department, Arnold Police, O.S.I., Air Force Investigations, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, Tennessee Highway Patrol (C.I.R.T. team), Dr. Berryman along with M.T.S.U. Forensic Anthropology Search and Recovery Team and the State Medical Examiner’s Office.  The scene was processed and the remains were recovered and removed by the forensic team and medical examiner’s office.
During the initial investigation, DNA samples from the Massicotte family were sent to the University of Texas for a DNA profile in the event that remains were found and not identifiable. M.T.S.U. Forensic Anthropology Department was tasked with extracting the DNA from the remains. Both the University of Texas and M.T.S.U. agreed to compare information and determine if the remains located at A.E.D.C. were that of Leo Paul George Massicotte III. Based on the DNA profile and the DNA extracted from the remains, it is confirmed that these are the remains of Mr. Massicotte.
Based on the evidence from the scene, the remains and the investigation, there is no suspected foul play connected with Mr. Massicotte’s death. This missing person case is considered closed.
Manchester Police is remorseful for the Massicotte family, our thoughts and prayers will be with them during this difficult time.

James Addison Haley, 20, of East Fort Street, Manchester of was arrested recently and charged with kidnapping involving a former girlfriend.
The 20 year-old Haley was also charged with aggravated assault and vandalism.
According to warrants, after entering the woman’s home on the New Tullahoma Highway in Manchester an argument turned in to a physical altercation.
The warrants allege that Haley chocked the woman and forced her into his vehicle and drove her to the Barton Springs area of Normandy Lake where he drove her around and allegedly threatened to kill her numerous times. He also allegedly forced the female out of his vehicle.
Haley is free on a bond of $21,500.

Two inmates who escaped from the Coffee County jail late Friday morning were captured about two hours later.
Authorities said Shawn Luce and Brandon Grant were caught in a wooded area near the Koss Center Alternative School around 1:30 p.m.
College Street Elementary School, located directly across the street from the jail, was placed on lockdown as a precaution while the inmates were on the loose.
According to officials, the pair escaped as welders were fixing some doors.
Luce and Grant will face a number of charges including escape and evading arrest.
The Manchester Police Department assisted the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department in the search.

A Franklin County woman is charged with TennCare fraud involving doctor shopping, or using TennCare healthcare insurance to go to multiple doctors in a short time period to obtain controlled substances.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has announced the arrest of Angela Shetters, 36, of Estill Springs.  She is charged with fraudulently obtaining TennCare controlled substance benefits to which she was not entitled by doctor shopping for the painkiller Hydrocodone.

Shetters was arrested again last week after being accused by a grand jury in Coffee County of two counts of fraudulently obtaining controlled substances by doctor shopping.
She turned herself in to the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office just after being released on indictments earlier last week from a separate incident. The cases were worked concurrently, with indictments being handed down separately.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to over $5 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of over $176 million for TennCare, according to latest figures.  To date, 2,222 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions.  Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or log on to www.tn.gov/tnoig/ and follow the prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.”

This week the Coffee County Commission met and approved by a vote of 21-0 a Tax Increment Financing plan (TIF) for Northgate Mall in Tullahoma. The infrastructure improvements are designed to finance these projects through future property tax abatements. The approval is for 10 years instead of the 14 requested by Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corp.
In addition to the proposed public improvements of up to $1.8 million, Northgate LLC plans to invest an additional $12-14 million in upgrades to the mall itself in an attempt to attract new, higher-end retailers.
The $1.8 million portion designated for government financing involves upgrades that benefit the public, such as paving, drainage improvements and landscaping. The remaining $12 million or so of improvements are designed to enhance the mall’s commercial appeal to attract more and better stores.
According to the Tullahoma Area Economic Development Corporation, tax-increment financing is a way for counties and municipalities to attract retail and other types of development at minimal risk to the taxpayer and reduced cost to the developer at the same time.

For the second time in recent weeks, a dead bobcat has been found at Tullahoma High School.
Tuesday afternoon a dead bobcat was found in the parking lot on the southwest side of the football field.
According to a report by Officer Daryn Gadeken, someone passing by the parking lot saw the bobcat and contacted police.
According to the police report, the animal had been shot just behind the shoulders, however, the officer stated that the animal had been shot somewhere else and placed in the parking lot.
Tullahoma animal control was notified and removed the animal.
According to Tullahoma Police Chief Paul Blackwell, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) is investigating the killing of the animal.
The week of the annual Coffee Pot football game a dead bobcat was found hanging from the goal post of the football practice field at the school.
A Coffee County High School student was charged with killing the animal out of season, however, the person who hung the animal from the goal post is not known.