LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A grisly discovery was made on Monday morning at a popular spot for fishermen. Now detectives in Wilson County are working on a death investigation — and they are ruling nothing out including first-degree murder.
It was just before dawn when a woman who lives across from Old Hickory Lake called police to report huge flames coming from a car parked at the Tyree Access boat ramp.
"Patrol units arrived and found the vehicle on fire. Called the fire department out, and they extinguished the fire," said detective BJ Stafford.
It took a bit of time to put out the fire. The flames actually charred the branches of the trees above. But once out, firefighters were able to get a closer look inside the Buick SUV and discovered the charred remains of a human body.
Detectives on the scene say it was burned beyond recognition and, at this point, they do not even know the gender.
The body will go to the medical examiner for identification and possibly to learn the cause of death, including whether it is a homicide.
"We are still sifting through the car, going through evidence trying to determine exactly what happened," said Stafford.
The evidence tags seen on the pavement are not marking shell casings — there's no indication yet this was a shooting Rather they mark other potential pieces of evidence like cigarette butts found around the vehicle.
Stafford says the parking area is well used. "It's semi-popular lake access so people come out here with their boats and launch pleasure boats, hunting and fishing," said Stafford.
Maybe someone who saw something will come forward. For now, just about everything that happened here remains a mystery. Until they learn more the Wilson County Sheriff's Office will treat this as a death investigation — they are ruling nothing out.
Stafford says investigators have checked and so far, there are no reports of missing persons in the area.
There's little to find in the vehicle because it was so badly burned.
If you can help, contact the Wilson County Sheriff's Office.
