News Summary
Nicholas Cheaton, a 41-year-old man, has been indicted by a Hamilton County Grand Jury on murder charges following a fatal shooting incident in Chattanooga. The shooting occurred on March 15, but details remain sparse as investigations continue. Cheaton is in custody in Georgia facing separate charges and has a history of legal troubles including connections to a previous murder case from 2009. Authorities are still piecing together the circumstances of the homicide and urge anyone with information to come forward.
Chattanooga
A Hamilton County Grand Jury has indicted 41-year-old Nicholas Cheaton on murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a man on March 15. The indictment stems from an incident that took place in the 3700 block of Youngstown Road, near its intersection with Lightfoot Mill Road in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The victim’s identity has not been disclosed pending notification of next-of-kin.
Cheaton is currently in custody in Walker County, Georgia, where he faces separate charges unrelated to the murder indictment in Hamilton County. Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the homicide but have not released any specific details as of now.
Details of the Incident
The homicide occurred on the evening of March 15, 2023. According to law enforcement reports, Cheaton allegedly shot the victim, whose age has been confirmed as 44, during altercations that remain unclear. As the case is still under investigation, police have refrained from sharing additional information about how the incident unfolded.
Previous Legal Troubles
Cheaton has a historical connection to another murder case dating back to 2009. During that investigation, he was interviewed regarding the death of Franklin Bonner, a 68-year-old man. The case gained media attention because of the involvement of Angel Bumpass, who was just 13 years old at the time she was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with Bonner’s death. Bumpass’s case was later dismissed without prejudice in August 2023, amid debates concerning her juvenile status and culpability.
In the wake of Bonner’s murder investigation, Cheaton claimed that a cousin of his confessed to robbing and killing Bonner while Cheaton was incarcerated on federal charges.
Related Incident in Georgia
Approximately one day before the homicide in Chattanooga, another incident occurred when William Oliver Jones, a 39-year-old man, was found dead in his residence on Highway 136 in Chickamauga, Georgia. A woman discovered Jones unresponsive on the floor and subsequently contacted authorities. The body displayed signs of burns and has been sent for autopsy as part of ongoing investigations.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has identified links between Cheaton and Jones’ death as well, suggesting that both cases are interconnected and that Cheaton’s criminal activities might extend beyond the murder indictment in Hamilton County.
Current Legal Proceedings
Following his arrest, Cheaton was booked into the Hamilton County Jail before being extradited to Walker County where he is currently being held. The case against him is planned to move forward in Hamilton County’s court system, where further legal processes are expected to elucidate the facts surrounding both the murder charge and his other legal issues.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incidents involving Cheaton or the victims to reach out to local law enforcement as investigations continue to develop.
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Additional Resources
- News Channel 9
- Wikipedia: Chattanooga
- Local 3 News
- Google Search: Nicholas Cheaton
- Times Free Press
- Google Scholar: Chattanooga Murder Cases
- News Channel 9
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Chattanooga Tennessee
- Local 3 News
- Google News: Chattanooga Murder News
