KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A familiar face within Knoxville's homeless community has died.
Knoxville Police Department spokesman Scott Erland said Linda K. Shropshire, 50, was found dead Wednesday.
Erland said KPD was called to the 200 block of Hall of Fame Drive on Wednesday and Knoxville Fire pronounced Shropshire deceased at the scene.
A cause of death will be determined by a medical examiner, Erland said.
For CareCuts Knoxville Founder Marti LaRue Baker, Shropshire's death highlights the need for mental health services for those experiencing homelessness in Knoxville. CareCuts helps the city's homeless communities by giving them haircuts, supplies, offering showers and helping them get identification cards.
Baker said Shropshire was troubled, but was making strides in her life at the time of her death.
"She was homeless for a very, very long time, she was working very hard on housing and she felt really welcome at CareCuts," Baker said. "...she would just walk right back into my office, and she'd say, 'Marti, I'm here.' We are really going to miss her."
Baker said she wishes her facility, at 519 Williams St., could've been open over these past few days to help keep people warm in the winter weather. But that wasn't possible.
Knox Area Rescue Ministries, along with churches serving as warming centers, have saved lives this week in the brutal weather, Baker said.
"I wanted to be open so bad, but couldn't because we have no heat," Baker said. "We've just got to have a building, that needs to be a day center. I just want to be a homeless welcome day center, open 24/7."
Anyone who owns or knows of a building that CareCuts could operate out of is asked to contact Founder@Carecutsknox.org.