KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville man who was convicted in a criminal court of first-degree murder appeared before a judge on Thursday, while serving a life sentence. There, he said he planned to appeal his conviction.
Jeremy J. "Big Country" Hardison is also suspected of killing three other people. Bonnie Drane was last seen on Dec. 27, 2017, while visiting someone at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Officials also said William "Will" Inklebarger, 42, was last seen Dec. 29, 2017, by his father at a Cherry Street motel. And family members last heard from Brenda Carroll, 48, on New Year's Day 2018 by a Facebook message.
Hardison was previously convicted of killing Johnathan Stewart in September 2021. Authorities said Hardison shot Stewart, 33, in the back and killed him at the intersection of Selma and Ben Hur avenues. He is serving his life sentence in state prison at Tiptonville, Tennessee.
In 2005, Hardison also pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. He had originally been charged with murder in that incident.