SCOTT COUNTY, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Thursday that a man was facing murder and child sex charges after agents investigated a January 2022 death of a Scott County deputy.
They said that on Jan. 31, 2022, deputies responded to a shooting call on Locust Lane in Oneida. They said when deputies arrived, they found Deputy April Duncan dead inside of the home.
As they investigated her death, agents also started investigating allegations of sexual abuse against a child.
On Thursday, they said the Scott County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Tommy Duncan, 33, with second-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child and five counts of rape.
They said Duncan was also employed with the Scott County Sheriff's Office when TBI started their investigation.
SCSO employees said April Duncan was a very caring person who was loved by everybody. They said she loved her children.
Tommy Duncan was served the indictments in the Campbell County Jail, while he was already being held on charges related to the sexual abuse investigation. They said he is being held on a $1 million bond.
Sheriff Brian Keeton also released a statement about the investigation on social media. The statement is below.
When I took office on September 1, 2022 a lengthy and complicated investigation had been ongoing for just over 7 months by agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation regarding the death of Scott County Sheriff's Deputy April Duncan on January 31, 2022. When I took office on September 1, 2022 Tommy Duncan had been previously placed on administrative leave by the previous Sheriff's administration due to the nature and circumstances of the investigation. In my first hours as Scott County Sheriff I evaluated the information I had and determined that my decision not to rehire and terminate Tommy Duncan was appropriate and he did not have a place or position in my new administration. I believe he had lost that opportunity to work for me, in our new direction, and the citizens of Scott County. This is the only comment I will have on this matter. We will look forward responsibly, continue to work with and support the efforts of the TBI and the Office of District Attorney General Jared Effler. We are confident and prayerful that justice for Deputy April Duncan and the other victims in this matter has been, is and will be paramount in the adjudication of this criminal proceeding. Together, we will never cease from being advocates for justice on behalf of these victims nor any others.