Coffee County gang member added to state's "most wanted" list

Thursday, February 14, 2013

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation today added a Coffee County, Tenn., gang member wanted on a charge of attempted first-degree murder to the state's "Top Ten Most Wanted" list.

John O'Keefe Varner, 42, whose last known address is 1510 Rogers Circle, is wanted by the Manchester Police Department, according to the TBI.

At about 6 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2013, Varner traveled to 1202 Woodland Court with a woman and had an argument with a man at that address. According to an eyewitness, after asking the man to come outside the residence, Varner shot him once in the right hip with a small-caliber pistol and kept shooting at the victim as he was running away, the TBI news release states.

Varner has an extensive and violent criminal history that includes second-degree murder, aggravated assault, domestic violence and unlawful possession of a weapon, the release states. He also is a confirmed Crip gang member.

Varner is a black man with black hair, brown eyes and multiple tattoos on his arms and hands. He has a scar near his left eye area, is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighs about 225 lbs. and also goes by the nicknames "Jake" and "Kitchen."

According to the TBI, he may be traveling in a 2004 white Ford F-150 pickup truck with Tennessee tag 706-YDC or a 1989 blue Chevy Caprice with Tennessee tag B69-52F.

Considered armed and dangerous, Varner should be approached with extreme caution.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND (1-800-824-3463). There is a $1,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.