Nashville murder suspect jumps to his death in Knoxville

Nashville murder suspect jumps to his death in Knoxville

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A man wanted in connection with a Nashville murder has died after jumping from his Knoxville hotel balcony during an arrest attempt.

William Troope, 50, leapt from his third floor balcony at the Ramada Inn on Kingston Pike just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Police were attempting to arrest Troope on a warrant out of Nashville.

They were able to locate him in the area around West Town Mall by tracking his cell phone calls.

When officers entered Troope's room to serve the warrant, he jumped. Troope landed head-first on the ground.

Witnesses from a church group staying at the hotel say he was naked at the time.

He was declared dead on arrival to the University of Tennessee emergency room.

According to our sister station, WKRN, Troope was a suspect in the murder of his girlfriend, 46-year-old Wendy McKinney of Dickson County. 

Police say Troope and McKinney checked into a hotel in Bellevue Monday night. Surveillance video shows him leaving the hotel just before midnight.

A housekeeper found her body in a the bathroom of the hotel room with severe head trauma.

The couple does have a history of domestic violence. Metro police say Troope was arrested in August in Dickson county for assaulting McKinney.