Since the beginning of the year in Tennessee's 12th Judicial District, three homicide cases remain unsolved with no arrests made. In those cases, there are four dead in three counties - Bledsoe, Grundy and Marion.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Susan Niland said Tuesday that all three cases are "active and ongoing," and investigators still want help from the public to establish leads.
On May 1, the body of 26-year-old Samantha Kathleen Chandler was found in a remote, wooded area south of Gruetli-Laager, Tenn., in Grundy County, about 150 feet from the roadway in an area frequented by off-roading enthusiasts, officials said. Chandler's body was found by people riding ATVs nearby.
On May 17, the body of 72-year-old Valley Pawn Broker shop owner Jerry Don Ridge was found in the back of his Marion County business in Whitwell, Tenn., after a suspicious, early evening fire that officials said during the initial investigation was possibly set because evidence indicated accelerants were found at the scene.
On July 5, Pikeville residents James Songer, 41, and Robbin Martin, 49, were found dead at their home on Brock Hollow Road in South Bledsoe County after they had been seen in nearby Dunlap at an Independence Day celebration the day before. A passerby spotted Songer's body in the yard of the home and alerted police.
"I know that for victims' families it becomes frustrating, but it just takes time," 12th Judicial District Attorney General Mike Taylor said Tuesday.
Taylor said persons of interest have been identified in the investigations in Bledsoe and Marion counties, but authorities are waiting for evidence to be processed by the TBI crime lab to see if those people can be linked to the crimes as suspects.
Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum said in mid-May that officers served a search warrant at Chandler's ex-husband's home and that investigators "have a very strong lead," but still no suspects were named, as lab analysis in the case is being completed, according to Taylor.
People sometimes don't realize that dozens or even hundreds of pieces of evidence are submitted to the TBI crime lab for analysis on each case, and each case is lined up along with other cases from all over the state, Taylor said.
In the Whitwell case, as an example, the crime scene is a pawn shop that is open to the public and filled with hundreds of items that belonged to different people and that have been handled by many others, Taylor said.
Analysis takes weeks once the case is taken up by forensics officials, he said.
Meanwhile, the TBI encourages anyone with information on any of the cases to contact 1-800-TBI-FIND or a local law enforcement agency.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.