A 46-year-old Hampton, Tennessee resident, Joey Guinn, faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, following the discovery of human remains believed to be of a missing man, enclosed in a buried freezer.
The Carter County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the charges against Guinn, which also include abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Missing since late January, Edward Elliott, 64, was reported lost by a relative in March. The family member said Elliott suffered from a health issue that could hinder his safe return without help. He was last seen in the Roan Mountain area in late January or early February. Efforts to locate Elliott intensified, involving numerous interviews and tips from the public, the Sheriff’s Office indicated in an affidavit.
Following multiple interviews conducted by the investigators from Carter County Sheriff’s Office, they rapidly moved to question Guinn when a clue suggested that Elliott was seen at Guinn’s residence, located at 125 Mike Clawson Road in Hampton.
During his conversation with the police, Guinn shared that Elliott had spent a day or two at his place a few months earlier. He then expressed his belief to the officers that Elliott might be in the company of a pair, one of whom was Elliott’s daughter.
According to the statement, police received a confidential tip around the middle of April, stating that Elliott had been severely attacked outside Guinn’s residence by Guinn and another individual, with two witnesses to the incident. On April 22, officers spoke with two individuals, both of whom claimed to have seen an aggressive altercation involving Elliott, Guinn, and a second unidentified man. According to one observer, the event took place in late January or at the beginning of February, while the other mentioned it happened sometime in early to mid-February.
One of the witnesses recounted observing Guinn and the unidentified man aggressively stomping on Mr. Elliott as he begged the two for mercy.
Both witnesses recounted observing a bloodstain the following day at the site of the altercation, and additionally, they mentioned that Guinn departed in a truck equipped with a “job box” in the rear for storing tools. Subsequently, he came back with the vehicle, but the box was missing.
The breakthrough in the case came on Wednesday, May 15 when law enforcement, alongside additional agencies, conducted a coordinated search across three Hampton locations. The operation employed a cadaver dog, which detected a smell strongly suggestive of human decomposition. With the aid of a metal detector, authorities pinpointed an area on a 17-acre lot in Hampton, leading to the unearthing of a sizable freezer.
Upon opening the freezer, investigators found human remains, believed to be Elliott’s, thus escalating the situation to a homicide investigation.
Currently held at the Carter County Detention Center, Guinn’s bail is set at $5 million. The Carter County Sheriff’s Office has not released further details about the investigation or any motive behind the crime.
The discovery of Elliott’s remains marks a significant advancement in a case that has piqued the community’s concern since his disappearance earlier in the year. As the legal proceedings against Guinn commence, many are hopeful for justice to be served in this unsettling case.
The Carter County Sheriff’s Office has assured the public of its commitment to transparency and justice as the case progresses. “Our priority is to bring closure for the victim’s family and hold those responsible for this heinous act accountable,” added the Sheriff.
The community has been on edge since Elliott was reported missing, with many volunteering information and showing support for the search efforts.
Sheriff’s department spokesperson highlighted the crucial role of technology and canine units in locating the remains. “The use of cadaver dogs and metal detectors were instrumental in guiding our search efforts to a successful discovery,” the spokesperson said.