SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. — Megan Boswell appeared in court Thursday morning in Sullivan County as officials work through several pre-trial considerations in the murder trial of baby Evelyn Boswell.
Thursday's hearing began with arguments over whether the high-profile nature of the case could compromise jury selection in the trial. The court discussed how jury selection questionnaires will be handled to gauge how much people know about the case, and if that knowledge would bias their decisions, saying the questionnaires will be filed under seal.
Defense attorney Brad Sproles brought up a motion to sever Boswell's numerous false reporting charges, which were widely publicized during the height of public interest in the case in 2020. If the motion is granted, that would mean Boswell would face separate trials: one for the false reporting charges, and another for the more serious charges related to Evelyn's death, including murder, that have had key investigative details sealed from the general public's eyes.
The prosecution called Special Agent David Gratz with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to the stand to discuss the many false reporting charges Megan Boswell is facing. The state said the details of those charges should be used at trial to show a motive and are relevant to show her state of mind.
Gratz detailed the several instances where he said Boswell had lied to investigators, including the conflicting reports she made publicly as the search went on that Evelyn had been with various family members before later claiming that the girl's grandmother, Angela Boswell, had given the child to an "unknown person" and that Evelyn was "safe and would have a better life."
Gratz said on February 25, 2020, the mother made another false report to detectives that acknowledged for the first time that she knew Evelyn was dead. The TBI said she falsely claimed she or her boyfriend had rolled over onto Evelyn while they were in bed sleeping, claiming she did not know where Evelyn's body was. The prosecution said they believe Megan Boswell made this claim in order to divert responsibility for Evelyn's death onto another person. It was on that day that authorities arrested Megan Boswell and charged her with false reporting.
The actual circumstances behind Evelyn's death based on the investigation and her autopsy results have remained sealed to the public. Sullivan County Attorney General Barry Staubus said two pieces of evidence are still waiting to be lab tested.
On March 6, 2020, authorities discovered human remains on property belonging to one of Megan Boswell's family members. Gratz said the remains were found in a building the family called a "playhouse" that Megan's grandfather had built for her as a child. Those remains were later confirmed to be Evelyn's on March 11.
Five months later, Megan Boswell was formally charged with felony murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse in Evelyn's death. The investigative details that prompted these charges remain sealed to the public.
No rulings on any motions were made in court Thursday.
Boswell's next court appearance was set for June 24 at 1:30 p.m., where it's expected photographs related to the case will be brought up. There is also a hearing scheduled for July 28.
Here is a timeline of the case:
February 18, 2020
- The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office received a referral from the State of Tennessee Department of Children Services
- Referral said certain family members had not seen Evelyn in approximately two months
- The referral came after Evelyn's grandfather, Tommy Boswell, Sr., reported his granddaughter missing
- At this time, Evelyn was last seen by family members on December 26
- Sullivan County Sheriff's Office immediately launched an investigation after receiving the report
- Evelyn's mother, Megan Boswell, tells authorities she believes Evelyn is with her father, Ethan Perry, who was in the U.S. military and stationed in Louisiana
February 19, 2020
- The TBI issued an AMBER Alert for Evelyn Boswell at around 8 p.m.
February 21, 2020
- A gray 2007 BMW, with Tennessee license plate 3M9-6W9, is believed to be carrying suspects linked to the case
- Evelyn's grandmother Angela Boswell was arrested with boyfriend William McCloud in Wilkes County, North Carolina after being found in the gray BMW
- Both McCloud and Angela Boswell were charged with and arrested for theft of property
- Angela's court date is set for March 4
- Evelyn's mother, 18-year-old Megan Boswell, went on camera for the first time, claiming she knew who had the toddler. She later claimed it was Angela Boswell
- At this time, Megan also said in an interview with WCYB that she was pregnant again
February 23, 2020
- The TBI says the mother claimed Angela Boswell had given Evelyn to an unknown or unnamed person and that "she was safe and would have a better life" with the unknown person.
February 25, 2020
- TBI said Megan Boswell told investigators on this day Evelyn had been killed after she or her boyfriend rolled over onto her in bed, claiming she did not know where the child's body was
- Megan Boswell is arrested and charged with one account of false reporting. Her bond is set at $25,000
- Her court date is set for March 2
- The Tennessee Department of Children's Services announced its own investigation involving Evelyn
February 26, 2020
- The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Megan is not actually pregnant
- The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office searched a pond in Wilkes County, North Carolina, which was inconclusive
February 28, 2020
- The TBI searched Lakeshore RV trailer park in Blountville, TN, near Boone Lake
- Over 700 tips related to the case have been submitted to the TBI
March 2, 2020
- A judge denies Megan Boswell's request to reduce her $25,000 bond. She is appointed an attorney in Bristol and has a new court date set for May 8
March 4, 2020
- Grandmother Angela Boswell and her boyfriend William McCloud appear in court for the theft charges. Both have bonded out of jail
- Angela Boswell is given a March 24 court date, the state asks for more time to bring in witnesses from North Carolina in McCloud's case
March 6, 2020
- The TBI announces it found remains believed to be of 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell in Blountville on a property belonging to a family member of Megan Boswell
- An autopsy begins to confirm the identity of the body and the circumstances of death
March 9, 2020
- A judge raises mother Megan Boswell's bond to $150,000 after attorneys said she could be a flight risk
- The TBI said the child's remains were found in an outbuilding on the property with diapers and toys around the body, wearing the same clothes Evelyn was wearing when she was reported missing
March 11, 2020
- The Sullivan County DA announces autopsy results will be sealed due to large public interest in the case
- The TBI confirms the remains found Friday to be Evelyn Boswell
May 6, 2020
- Investigators identify a person of interest in the case but do not publicly identify who that is
May 20, 2020
- Megan Boswell is charged with ten additional counts of false reporting, with a grand jury saying she lied multiple times to detectives and TBI agents about the child's whereabouts
May 27, 2020
- Megan Boswell appears before a judge via video, who declines to lower her bond
July 31, 2020
- Megan Boswell has her hearing date rescheduled for August 28 at 9 a.m.
- Prosecutors confirm they would bring "another matter" regarding Megan Boswell to a grand jury on August 19
August 19, 2020
- Megan Boswell is formally charged with felony murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse in the death of Evelyn Boswell five months after the baby's body was found.