Causes of death still pending in Bledsoe County double slaying

The causes of death in the early July slayings of a Bledsoe County, Tenn., couple are still pending, and no suspects have been named, according to state officials.

It's been three weeks since the bodies of 49-year-old Robbin Juanita Martin and 41-year-old James Henry Songer were found at their Bledsoe County home, and a week since prosecutors said there were a couple of "persons of interest" in the case. But the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Bledsoe County Sheriff's Office are not talking about making arrests yet.

Officials with the Davidson County Medical Examiner's Office in Nashville said Monday that forensic examinations are incomplete and results probably won't be available for another month.

Meanwhile, TBI officials remained mum on Monday about at least two "persons of interest" in the case who have not been identified or raised to the level of becoming suspects.

Twelfth Judicial District Attorney Mike Taylor last week said TBI agents had developed "a couple of persons of interest" and were tracking those people down for interviews. Taylor also said robbery is not believed to be a motive in the slayings and there is a "strong possibility" the victims knew their killer or killers.

"We are still awaiting the final autopsy results regarding the cause(s) of death(s) in this case; those results typically take several weeks to complete," Niland said Monday in an emailed response on the case. "Because of the status of this investigation still being an active and ongoing one, we aren't able to speak to some of the specifics."

Around 6 p.m. CDT on July 5, deputies found Songer's body in the yard of the couple's home on Brock Hollow Road after a passerby reported seeing a man's body in the yard, authorities said.

Martin's body was found inside the home.

The couple's mobile home is in South Bledsoe County, just a few miles north of the Sequatchie County line, in an area sparsely populated with a few residences separated by large pastures or woods.

According to their obituaries, Martin is survived by three children and a brother; Songer left behind two children and two sisters.

Niland said investigators want to hear from anyone with information about the case. To pass along a tip, call the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 800-TBI-FIND or 1-800-824-3463.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfree press.com or on Twitter @BenBenton or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.

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