NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — There have been 104 murders in Nashville this year, which is two more than in 2021.
The latest happened on Christmas Day when a husband and father was gunned down in an apparent road rage incident.
Stephanie Spaunhorst is pleading for people who may have seen something at the scene or know any information to come forward. She is devasted.
"He was just an amazing man, that — he was a great father. He was an amazing husband," Stephanie said.
Chris Spaunhorst was on his way home to Greenbrier from dropping his mother off at her grandmother's house.
Chris was driving on I-24 west in his blue Ford F-150 pickup truck, coming back from Smyrna.
Metro Nashville Police said road rage is a potential motive.
Multiple gunshots were fired into the driver’s side door and window of Chris's pickup truck between the Shelby Avenue and James Robertson Parkway exits. Police said that the deadly shots were fired from a black sedan with chrome trim.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: The gunshots that killed Chris Spaunhorst came from this black sedan with chrome trim. The car may have damage; its unclear whether it hit Spaunhorst's truck. Again, this happened at noon on Sun, I-24 west. Have info on the car? Please📞615-742-7463. pic.twitter.com/guiVGZuM4y
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 27, 2022
The truck came to rest along the median wall at James Robertson Parkway. Nashville Fire Department first responders at the crash scene discovered that Chris was suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he died shortly after arrival.
"It's horrible. Nothing is that serious," Stephanie Spaunhorst said. "I mean, they don't — I mean, there's nothing that he could have done to deserve what happened to him on Christmas. I mean, our kids are going to have to grieve for the rest of their lives. Their Christmas will never be the same for them."
Stephanie said it's important to be a voice for Chris.
"If somebody has the smallest detail, if you saw his truck at any point in time: tell the police; tell something, like, check your dash cam. If you saw somebody beside his truck, he had a dark blue F150 with the hog on the front. He was a big, avid Arkansas fan. Please, please, our children deserve answers," Stephanie said.
Detectives are asking any motorist who may have seen the incident take place on I-24 at noon to please contact Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
"He deserves justice. He deserves to be in peace. We need to know — and whatever person murdered him on Christmas, I promise you when this goes to court, I'll be there every time. I'll be there every time," Stephanie said.
The family has also created a GoFundme account to help with funeral expenses.
