Berry family throws support behind Tyree for Knox sheriff

Berry family throws support behind Tyree for Knox sheriff

KNOX COUNTY (WATE) -- The family of Johnia Berry, whose murder went unsolved for three years, is throwing their support behind Randy Tyree in the Knox County sheriff's race.

The Berry family made it official in a press conference Tuesday morning, saying they believe Tyree will work to remove the culture of turf protection from the sheriff's office.

They also say Tyree didn't seek their support. They contacted him.

"I am greatly honored, greatly honored to have them in support of me in my race for Knox County sheriff," Tyree says.

The Berry family felt former Sheriff Tim Hutchison was unwilling to accept help from the TBI after the 2004 murder and was preventing the case from being on "America's Most Wanted."

Randy Tyree says he didn't raise the issue during the 2006 election campaign because the murder remained unsolved.

Hutchison was re-elected in 2006 and then ousted by a court decision over term limits for county officeholders.

J.J. Jones, the interim sheriff, was appointed to the position, removed from office after decision that the process broke the state's Sunshine laws and then reappointed by county commission.

"I feel in my heart Knox county needs a change. I thought after Sheriff Jones took over, there would be a change, but he denied me the same things that the former sheriff did," Joan Berry says.

Berry said Jones was appointed sheriff, she asked for his help. "I think that anybody that doesn't work for the people doesn't need to be there."

A suspect in the murder, Taylor Lee Olson, was arrested and charged in September 2007. But this past March, he hung himself in his jail cell.

Sheriff Jones has responded to the Berry family's remarks with this statement:

"What's next? This is Tyree politics as usual. I refuse to participate in the exploitation of the murder of a young woman for political gain. Two detectives were assigned full time to the Johnia Berry case. They had no other duties for three years except to solve this case. I told Joan Berry it would be solved and it was."

In response to Sheriff Jones, Johnia's brother, Kelly Burke, says, "The statement that he doesn't want to use this case in a political sense is asinine to me."

6 News Reporter Don Dare contributed to this report.