NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — An aspiring songwriter who moved to Nashville to follow her dream was found dead, and almost 7 years later it is still unknown how she died.
Metro Police said on Nov. 5, 2016, a man walking on Sunnymeade Drive found a woman's body lying in the dry creek bed behind his house. Police arrived on the scene just after 2 p.m. and located the woman's body. Investigators learned the woman's name was Teresa Carlson, and she went by Tess.
She was 46 years old, but her body was so badly decomposed the medical examiner wasn't able to determine the cause of death. Metro Police have been investigating the case as a homicide.
"I would say something traumatic happened to her which resulted in her death," said Matthew Filter, a detective with the Metro Police Department's Cold Case-Homicide/Missing Persons unit. "I believe the body was probably moved to that location. There’s no indication she was killed there."
Filter said Carlson had no known connections to the area where her body was found. Since it's been awhile since new information has come in on the case, detectives are asking the public for help.
"Anyone who knew Tess back then, it would be helpful to be able to talk to them and perhaps get a better understanding of who she was associating with at the time," said Filter.
Carlson moved to Nashville from Minnesota to become a songwriter. She dressed up as Barbie and Cinderella at birthday parties to bring in extra money.
Carlson battled mental health issues, but police said it is unclear if that played a role in her death. Toxicology reports found no evidence of drugs or alcohol in her body.
Detectives said they aren't giving up. They will finally solve the mystery of how Carlson died.
"Anytime we can provide a family member with an answer to what happened to their loved one is huge," said Filter.
If you have any information on what happened to Tess Carlson you can call the Metro Police Department Cold Case Unit at 615-862-7329. You can also call Nashville Crime Stoppers anonymously at 615-74-CRIME.
