KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Police Department said Tavares Harrison, 26, was charged with second-degree murder Thursday after an investigation into the death of a man on Kingston Pike.
Police said the investigation started Tuesday afternoon when the police department responded to a report that a man had arrived at a church with non-life-threatening stab wounds. Police said the investigation led them to an encampment in the area of Kingston Pike and I-40, where a man was found dead.
The man was 55 years old and authorities said he died by "apparent blunt force trauma." His body was taken to the Regional Forensic Center for an autopsy, which revealed that he was hit several times with an ax.
Harrison was treated at a hospital and questioned. According to his arrest warrant, he got into a fight with the victim and it became physical. They both began to struggle for control of the ax, but ultimately Harrison gained control.
Harrison admitted to hitting the victim multiple times in the neck, head and upper body area, the warrant states.
Authorities said they were withholding specific identifying information about the victim until his next of kin can be notified.
