BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn — The suspect accused of killing Blount County Sheriff's Deputy Greg McCowan has a violent history according to court records.
Kenneth Wayne DeHart Jr. was convicted on weapons charges in 2005. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic assault in 2017 after attacking his girlfriend and attempting to strangle her, records show.
"First of all, it tells me that he has propensity for violence, he's had at least two instances of known violent behavior that he's been charged with or brought within the legal system to deal with," Don Bosch, legal analyst for WBIR, said.
He said that as a suspect on the run, DeHart poses a threat to the public.
"This is a wounded animal, so to speak, and that there's no telling what this person may do to either avoid apprehension - harm himself or harm others," Bosch said.
Authorities said DeHart is facing charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm.
"The punishment for that charge alone is only three choices," he said. "That is the death penalty, life without the possibility of parole, meaning that an individual will die in prison should you be convicted and sentenced to such, or life with the possibility of parole, which in effect means at least 51 years, up to 60 years to serve before you're even eligible for parole."
Authorities also arrested DeHart's brother Marcus DeHart and girlfriend Carrie Matthews on accessory after the fact charges.
"It can be as simple as momentarily hiding or obfuscating the location of a known defendant, somebody known to be wanted by law enforcement, to hiding them out to transporting them over county and state lines to providing them assistance by way of money, or food," Bosch said.
He believes DeHart could end up facing the death penalty.
"The justice system will work in this case, if in fact he is guilty, and he will likely spend the rest of his life in jail or even possibly be subjected to the death penalty," he said.