Father’s death ‘shouldn’t have happened’
Son of murdered Rocky Top man pleads to council
Mike Copeland, son of recently deceased J.C. Copeland, came before Rocky Top City Council on Thursday to ask what the city plans to do to “keep its citizens from being murdered.”
His father, 83, was a victim of homicide on Aug. 31.
The suspect, Christy Viola Comer, was apprehended the following day and charged with one count of criminal homicide.
“I can’t guarantee no one that something like that won’t happen,” said Rocky Top Police Chief Jim Shetterly. “In this case, fortunately, we have charged someone with a crime, and there are charges that can be pending against other people.”
Copeland told the council and department heads that his father had made numerous calls to 911 and the police, including calls about two people near his home that had warrants out for their arrest, over the last year.
“They should have been in jail,” he said. “I just don’t understand how this slipped through the cracks.”
Shetterly responded, “I can’t elaborate on that, but neither of those people were on the scene at any time when the officers responded to the calls.”
Copeland went on to say that there is a lot of criminal activity behind Lake City Elementary, where his father lived on the 600 block of Jacksboro Avenue.
“The school is within 300 feet of felons and drug heads,” he said. “You’ve got parents dropping their kids off that are unaware of this.”
According to Shetterly, unless they are sex offenders, there is nothing the police department can do to notify people.
Copeland said he had personally seen two people — who he believed to be high — walking naked through the splash pad at 8:30 a.m. on a school day.
“The night of the murder,” he continued, “you had four people walking around at the splash pad and visiting people behind my father’s place. Anyone out at 1:30 isn’t up to no good. That’s the stuff I’ve seen and I’ve only been down here for two weeks.”
He recommended more patrols down in that area.
City Manager Michael Foster came to the chief’s defense, stating that they have been complimented on how quickly Rocky Top police responded to that call and arrested the suspect.
“Me and Jim talked about this,” Foster said. “We take all crime seriously in this city ...
“That’s a tragic situation; we are sorry for your loss. We do take that very seriously.”
Rocky Top Mayor Michael Lovely said that he would check on increasing patrols in that area.
Shetterly reiterated that the case is still under investigation, and that it could be a lengthy process.
The department is still waiting on results from lab work, which could take up to 10 weeks.
“I appreciate you guys for hearing me,” Copeland said.
“It’s something that shouldn’t have happened.”