4 dead, 10-month-old found safe after shooting in McMinn County

RICEVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A shooting in McMinn County Saturday morning has left four people dead.  A 10-month-old was missing after the incident but was found safe Saturday evening and will be released to DSC custody, according to McMinn County Sheriff’s Department. 

MCSO Sheriff Joe Guy said around 9 a.m., officers responded to a report of a shooting at a residence on County Road 60 in Riceville. Officers found the residence after speaking with two witnesses who had escaped the shooting. It was then that they found one man and three women dead from gunshot wounds.  

MCSO identified the victims as Trevon Hall, 36; Skylar Hawn, 24; Jesse Dupree, 40; and Brandi Harris, 39. 

“It appears that there were initially six people present at the residence,” said Sheriff Guy, “When a male suspect and a female suspect arrived after 8 a.m. There was some kind of dispute that took place between the female suspect and the male victim over a 10-month old whom they are the parents of. At some point, the dispute turned violent and the four victims were shot. One witness escaped and the other pretended to be injured and survived. The suspected then took the child and left the scene.“ 

A witness reported to investigators she laid down and acted if she was dead when shots were fired. Another witness jumped out of a window and ran from the scene, according to an affidavit.

MCSO along with Polk County Sheriff’s, the 10^th Drug Task Force and the US Marshals have located the suspects, Curtis D. Smith, 38, of Etowah, and Jazzmine J Hall, 27, of Athens. They were apprehended in Polk County during a SWAT operation.

“This has been a challenging day for our community, and our prayers continue to be with the families of the victims of this terrible incident,” added Sheriff Guy. 

Curtis Smith and Jazzmine Hall appeared in court on Oct. 7 and waived their right to a preliminary hearing. The case was sent to a grand jury and their next court date is Jan. 10, 2022.