Grand Jury indicts Friendsville man for murder
By Matthew Stewartof The Daily Times Staff
Originally published: April 07. 2009 6:31PM
Last modified: April 07. 2009 6:31PM
The Blount County Grand Jury handed down a murder indictment against a Friendsville man who allegedly stabbed a man and burned his body.
Jeffrey Lee Jenkins, 36, North Union Grove, Friendsville, was charged in the death of 57-year-old Jerry Lee Click in April 2008.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on North Union Grove Road in Friendsville at around 7:30 a.m. April 19 where they discovered the remains of a badly burned body in the back yard.
The victim was taken to the University of Tennessee Forensics Center where the medical examiner later identified him as Click.
The autopsy revealed Click died from a knife cut to the upper chest that hit the aorta. Click also had a knife cut to his side that lacerated his liver.
Jenkins was charged in Click’s death and has been at the Blount County Jail since April 19.
On Monday, the grand jury indicted Jenkins on charges of first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse.
The grand jury also handed down 27 other indictments.
We'll have more developments as they occur or in Wednesday's print edition of The Daily Times.
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