Contributed photo / Charles Dewayne "Swain" LayneA Palmer, Tennessee, man has been booked on a homicide charge in connection with an incident that happened in Grundy County in late October, according to authorities.
Charles Dewayne "Swain" Layne, 46, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Nov. 3 death of 44-year-old Gruetli-Laager resident Rodney Sanders, Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum said. The sheriff said the charge stems from an incident that happened in nearby Palmer on Oct. 27 or 28. Shrum said Sanders died about six days later.
Palmer, in eastern Grundy County, shares its northwest border with the slightly larger town of Gruetli-Laager along State Highway 108.
Layne turned himself in without incident, officials said.
Officials in the Grundy County Circuit Court Clerk's Office said Layne faces a hearing Dec. 10 in General Sessions Court. Layne has no attorney on record yet and he will either name one at his Dec. 10 hearing or one will be appointed for him, court officials said.
Shrum said he couldn't talk much about other details in the case because the investigation is ongoing.
Twelfth Judicial District Attorney General Mike Taylor said the incident "grew out of an altercation where the defendant is charged with beating the deceased."
Taylor agreed that information in the case would be limited for now but said more details would be available later.
Sanders was being treated for his injuries at Erlanger hospital in Chattanooga when he died, Taylor said.
"We sent the body for a forensic autopsy in Nashville," Taylor said.
Grundy County Jail officials said Layne is being held without bond.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.