Chattanooga man charged with stabbing his niece to death

Eric McCullough
Eric McCullough
photo Eric McCullough
photo Police believe Eric McCullough, 46, stabbed his niece, Tyecha McCullough, 23, and also injured another man who tried to help her, according to his affidavit.

Tyecha "Tee" McCullough, 23, lost a baby on July 21, 2013 - a stillborn boy, her only child.

When the anniversary of her son's death passed last week, she mentioned to a cousin how much she ached to see him again.

Then nine days later, around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night, she was stabbed to death.

"Now she's gone on to be with him," said LaToya Edmonds, her cousin.

Tyecha died after she was stabbed in the chest Wednesday outside an apartment in College Hill Courts, and police have charged her uncle, 46-year-old Eric McCullough, with homicide.

The attack also injured another man who tried to help Tyecha, according to an affidavit. That man, 25-year-old Antwon Lee, told police that Eric McCullough jumped out from a porch and attacked Tyecha with no warning as they walked by together.

Lee told police he didn't realize Eric McCullough had a knife at first and that he tried to stop the attack, but Eric sliced his left side. He said Tyecha walked away and collapsed in some grass.

When police responded to the scene, they found Tyecha with a stab wound to the chest. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Lee was treated and released for his wound, which was not life-threatening.

Edmonds and others remembered Tyecha as someone who loved to help other people, who visited her son's grave and sometimes sang with a strong voice.

"She didn't deserve to die, not like this," Edmonds said. "She was a very beautiful, smart and loving person."

When questioned by police, Eric McCullough said he'd been arguing with his niece for about a month, ever since he moved out of her apartment, and that she attacked him first by punching him in the face. He said Lee punched him in the head.

Edmonds, who is also related to Eric McCullough, said she had no idea what would have caused him to attack Tyecha and that he is typically a fun guy to be around.

Eric McCullough has been charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault. He is being held in the Hamilton County Jail on a $225,000 bond.

Contact staff writer Shelly Bradbury at 423-757-6525 or sbradbury@ timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas.

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