Suspects in the slaying of a Tullahoma, Tennessee, man found hanging from a Franklin County tree in 2017 now number six as two more arrests have been made.
The most recent arrests in 33-year-old David Edward Steele's death were Jamie Wilson Holland, 38, who is charged with aggravated kidnapping, tampering with evidence and coercion of a witness; and Bryan Dudley, 38, who is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, tampering with evidence and coercion of a witness, according to Coffee County Circuit Court officials.
Fourteenth Judicial District Attorney General Craig Northcott said in December that Steele was first detained in October 2017 at his home. When he tried to escape, he was shot. He was then taken just across the Franklin County line where he was hanged from a tree.
His body was found after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and local investigators went to the area of Spring Creek Road and UTSI Road as part of a missing person investigation. It was identified through an autopsy that showed Steele died of asphyxiation with a contributory cause of a gunshot wound to his leg.
Four people were initially arrested in December:
» Bruce Edward Dorsett Jr., 32, has been charged with murder, two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping and one count of aggravated kidnapping, tampering with evidence, coercion of a witness, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
» Shawna R. Haney, 44, faces charges of murder, two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping and one count of aggravated kidnapping, tampering with evidence, coercion of a witness, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
» Voltaire Xavier Hickerson, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder, two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
» Michael Andrew Taylor, 32, has been charged with first-degree murder, two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
Northcott said he and 12th Judicial District Attorney General Mike Taylor, whose office prosecutes cases in Franklin County, determined that prosecution of the case would take place in Coffee County, where the crime was initiated.
Meanwhile, Circuit Court officials said all six defendants face appearances in court on Feb. 27.
According to his obituary, Steele was a father of four and a handyman who worked as a general contractor and enjoyed fishing, hunting, and playing sports with his children.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.