Greatly beloved by her family, she leaves behind, in addition to her parents: aunt Tamela Laxton, aunt Cathy Sanford (Michael), aunt Linda Brown (Dennis), cousin Bianca Brown . Its almost like they knew Megan. Born in St. Paul on Oct. 27, 2000, and raised in Minneapolis from the time he was 7, Wright was "taken from his family and friends too soon and leaves a hole in their heart that will never be. Siblings Caroline (Michael) Taylor, Alex Sharpton, Will Sharpton, Cameron (Lindsay) Sharpton, and Leah Sharpton. It was like something youd see off a movie, George Dyer, Franklin County Sheriffs Office detective, toldAn Unexpected Killer, anOxygen series. He was the son of the late . The boyfriend was cleared. Known for her lively and happy-go-lucky personality, Megan was also dating Chris, with whom she had an on-again, off-again relationship for three years. A time of death placed the murder occurring before midnight. People took to blogs and social media to vent their frustrations and speculations about who had done it. James Dellinger. "Justice is kind of a funny word," Kelly Sharpton said. in memory of Erika Megan Sharpton, please visit our floral store. Donnie Jones pleads 'not guilty' on murder charges in the death of Megan Sharpton. Tullahoma Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Kelly Sharpton became her daughter's champion for justice and held up her slaying as an example of violent crime that costs young women their lives. Kelly Sharpton was the mother of Megan Sharpton, whose burned body was found July 2, 2012, at Awalt Road in Franklin County. A third scenario, is that he returns to his own house (in her Mustang) and picks up an accelerant previously purchased. A celebration of her life will follow at a later date. Though they couldnt trace the number back to an owner, Detective Hindman did trace the phone to a local department store where someone had purchased it. Kelly Sharpton did not want her daughter to be remembered as that burned girl found on the side of the road. So she wrote the message Megan is her name on a rock at the site. All of us who followed Megan's story will continue to carry Kelly's message to young women everywhere. The autopsy further confirmed the rape but determined that Megan had died after being shot in the face. Guilty plea, sentence stand in Megan Sharpton murderhttp://t.co/NYuu6UI2Z7 pic.twitter.com/QDSMs4sEMp, The Tullahoma News (@TullahomaNews) November 6, 2014, Murder Comes To Town: Tullahoma Nursing Student Vanishes, Found Dead. Kyle, 27, lived there with his girlfriend, Jennifer Valiante, 31. [Jones] essentially killed them both, said Detective Dyer. Thats the chronology of the crime in an unfolding time lapse. And for a second time. The case seemed to hit a wall, but then the autopsy report came back and revealed a shocking detail: it was a gunshot wound to the face that killed Megan. Death notices for Feb. 23. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 25 days since this terrible homicide, and no suspects are yet emerging. I cant thank Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller and Investigator Todd Hindman enough. But while waiting to interview Chris, Bedford County personnel called detectives with a lead: theyd found Megan Sharptons vehicle parked on a country road, about 15 to 20 miles from the crime scene where her body was found in Franklin County. All rights reserved. Edit your search or learn more. Authorities quickly put a BOLO alert out for Megans car, as they had yet to account for it. She'd been sexually assaulted and set on fire. Whoever killed her, spread the evidence out over three locations. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. According to her mother and sister, Meganwas due to have dinner with her family on the evening before her body was found. Agents from the TBI and investigators from the Franklin County Sheriff's Department spent July 4 gathering evidence in connection with the murder of 24-year-old Erika Megan Sharpton of Tullahoma, who Uncles David (Kelsey) Hale and Alex Sharpton. Tullahoma - The world has lost it's brightest star. She is preceded in death by her daughter, Megan Sharpton. On Sept. 30, 2006, at . Aunts Anne Hale, Laurie Weeks, and Lisa Sharpton. As long as the community is safe, Im satisfied. His spokeswoman says Ada Sharpton passed away early Thursday morning in Dothan, Ala., following a long battle with Alzheimer's disease . to burn her body with? Where did the perpetrator get the gasoline (or whatever accelerant was used?) She was a beautiful person who spread joy and happiness wherever she went. People who knew Megan at the steakhouse where she worked were devastated by the news. Her obituary in the Tullahoma News described Sharpton as the world's "brightest star" and "a compassionate, caring soul." . Im no psychic, but if I could concentrate a little harder, Im nearly seeing who did this to Megan Sharpton and why they did it too! Autopsy showed Sharpton died of blunt force trauma. Unable to disprove this, authorities had no choice but to let Donnie walk. In an interview with The News last fall, prior to Jones arrest and conviction, Kelly Sharpton said she understood the publics frustration with the amount of time it took law enforcement authorities to arrest Jones, but said she was confident the case was being handled properly. www.tullahomafuneralhome.com. According to the Investigation Discovery show, authorities believed that Megan was lured to a place where she was raped before being killed, following which, Donnie poured fire accelerant on her privates and set her body on fire. can stop at any time. In the months since her daughter Megan, 24, was raped and killed, her body set afire alongside Awalt Road in Franklin County, Tenn., the grief-stricken mother had struggled to cope. In 2012, Megan Sharpton was studying nursing and just months away from collecting her diploma. "No family should have to endure so much pain. If Megan hadnt lost her life, I feel very confident that Donnie Jones would still be out, trying to trick young women, said Megans sister, Carrie. Eugene Brennan. Nieces Chloe' Taylor, Baylee Sharpton, and Lizzy Sharpton. We are Sara's work family. to the family or plant a tree | Updated November 13, 2013 at 12:27 p.m. Megan Sharpton's accused killer, Donnie Jones Jr., 37, faced first-degree murder, kidnapping and rape charges and pleaded guilty on Feb. 4, 2013, in Franklin County Circuit Court. Nieces Chloe' Taylor, Baylee Sharpton, and Lizzy Sharpton. The 87-year-old mother of the Rev. However, her mother was always concerned for her because she was naive and too trusting. Naturally, if she didnt know her killer, we might apply the ubiquitous serial killer theory. Theres a fit here also, if a naive and caring Ms. Sharpton, say, picked up a ragged hitchhiker of some kind. But then the results of the DNA collected from Megans body came back to detectives: Itwas a match to Donnie Jones. Tullahoma Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Erika Megan Sharpton. And on Friday, the mother took her own life in a Chattanooga hotel.Kelly was a graphic designer at Arnold Air Force Base.Her daughter's accused killer, Donnie Jones Jr., faces first-degree murder, kidnapping and rape charges, and pleaded guilty. Both are right, however, in saying that the unknown killer wanted her body (and her purse and car) to be found. Megan Sharpton, 24, was a resident of Tullahoma, Tennessee, and was a couple of months away from earning her college degree. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. It wont make up for what Ive lost. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.tullahomafuneralhome.com. Al Sharpton, has pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Ms. Sharpton was born in Milan, TN to Maurice and Margaret Stepp Hale. The Sharpton family did not want to speak about the death on Tuesday, the day the family was receiving visitors as they prepared to lay Kelly Sharpton to rest. Megan promised to be back later, while Chris went to work at a local department store from 5:00 p.m. to midnight. Jones, listed by police as the primary suspect for the past several weeks, was arrested late Monday by Franklin County Sheriff's Department investigators after being indicted by the Franklin County Grand Jury. Chance of rain 100%. The amazing Erika Megan Sharpton was torn from us July 2, 2012, age 24. The Circumstances of Megan Sharptons Murder are Incredibly Bizarre! The episode pertaining to Megan Sharpton is titled Answering The Call. IDs Murder Comes To Town is a riveting crime series that analyzes cases that have happened in small towns. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Erika Megan Sharpton, 2023 Tullahoma Funeral Home. The location of Erika Megan Sharpton's body lies about two hours from Darden -- where Holly Bobo vanished in April of 2011. Gifford was brought into the station for questioning but seemed eager to defend himself: He said he purchased the burner phone for a man named Donnie Jones. With evidence piling high against Donnie Jones Jr., he was arrested and indicted with two counts of aggravated kidnapping, first-degree murder, and two counts of aggravated rape. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Thunderstorms this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Megan Sharpton Obituary - Death, Cause Of Death, Funeral: We learned about the passing of Megan Sharpton.click to read and leave tributes.. Ms. Sharpton was born in Milan, TN to Maurice and Margaret Stepp Hale. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Aunts Anne Hale, Laurie Weeks, and Lisa Sharpton. Staff writer Tim Omarzu contributed to this story. The episode, titled "An Exclusive First Look into the Case of Megan Sharpton," will air at 8 p.m. on Friday on Oxygen's 1465 HD channel on Comcast and will also appear on channel 129, which . Al Sharpton, commemorated her life at a funeral on Monday. But Donnie Jones pleaded guilty and received a life sentence. Offers may be subject to change without notice. At times during interviews with the Times Free Press, Kelly Sharpton was strong, other times wracked with pain. She gave everybody the same benefit of the doubt. Megan Shannon's passing on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 has been publicly announced by Graham-Dunn Funeral Home - Carrollton in Carrollton, KY.Legacy invites you to offer condolences and share memories o Over the years, Roger Hoan Brady had appealed his death penalty but was always turned down. Via school records, police found a woman named Naomi Jones. (No Ratings Yet) This case is also unsolved, and in the same region as the 1999 unsolved disappearance of Kristie . And you know, actually, just had that compassion for people, that trust, that love for humans. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in the book. Relatives werent that concerned about the sudden change of plans. On July 2, 2012, at around 1:30 am, a motorist discovered a fire beside Awalt Road in Franklin County and informed the authorities. Megan was suppose to drop by her family's house that day (a Sunday, July 1st), since her sister was in town. Sharpton, of Tullahoma, was pronounced dead at Erlanger hospital of an apparent suicide, though the case is still under investigation, according to Officer Tim McFarland of the Chattanooga Police Department. Megan was supposed to drop by her familys house that day (a Sunday, July 1st), since her sister was in town. Siblings Caroline (Michael) Taylor, Alex Sharpton, Will Sharpton, Cameron (Lindsay) Sharpton, and Leah Sharpton. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She was a compassionate, caring soul, and planned a career in nursing. - Click to learn more.. However, when the foreign DNA on the victims body matched Donnies, the latter claimed that he had consensual sex with Megan and was not involved in her death. An online obituary may be viewed, and condolences left for the family at www.strodefh.com. Her pink purse was left in one spot, her red Mustang in another, and her burning body in yet a third location. She was 47. Tullahoma Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Erika Megan Sharpton. "I wake up in the morningand I see my dead daughter's face," she said in the first weeks after Megan's July 2012 murder. Im not gonna get caught up in what happens to him. By the spring of 2015, Jeffrey and Jeanette were mapping out their retirement, according to "Killer Couples," airing Fridays at 8/7c on Oxygen. Shelley Mooks body was never found. Megan Sharpton's mother tells WHNT News 19 Franklin County investigators ruled out her daughter's live-in boyfriend as a suspect early on in the investigation. John Kays identifies timeless remnants from our past that will endure, or be admired by future generations. She mattered to us all. Megan was born to Timothy and Donna Laxton on August 8, 1993. Megan was born on October 24, 1987 in Tullahoma, TN and died there July 2, 2012. In April, standing on the very spot where Megan's body was found, Kelly Sharpton spoke about her struggle to find justice and meaning in her daughter's death. She sacrificed her life to keep everybody else in our community safe.. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Sharpton went deep into history to reference a queen with African roots that was hidden by the British monarchy at the time but he was. Bob Clemens, of Moore County, designed the memorial, which stands more than 7 feet tall with 24 metal stars that gleam in the sunlight one for each year of Megans life. pic.twitter.com/WeN8vEqm, Tanya Reeves (@reeves_tanya) September 28, 2012, Mothers Fight To Put Killer Behind Bars Ends In Her Own Tragic Death. Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller said that Donnie Jones has been arrested in connection with the case. Jones had also been accused of rape in the past. An autopsy showed that she died of blunt-force trauma. She mattered to us all. All rights reserved. Kelly Elizabeth Hale Sharpton, of Tullahoma, died Friday, Nov. 8, at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga. With the case deepening into a mystery, the police looked into the number Megan received the call from and found it to belong to a burner cell. Visitation will be Friday, July 6, 2012 from 5-8 pm. Hours later, Megans body was discovered burning on the side of the road. Investigators brought their attentions back to the job offer that Megan told friends and family about on the evening of her murder. Investigators recognized the name right away. We will miss her dearly and feel for her family. In the months since her daughter Megan, 24, was raped and killed, her body set afire alongside Awalt Road in Franklin County, TN, the grief-stricken mother had struggled to cope. She was 47. All Rights Reserved. Hello! Detective Hindman circulated the mans photo around the sheriffs department and found out, within minutes, that the man on the video was a local drug dealer named Timothy Gifford. Donnies family owned several farms in that area, said Sheriff Fuller in regards to where they found Megans car. Experts fall on both sides of the fence in this matter. She knows socially the person believed to be responsible for Megan's murder, a man she calls a predator who had made contact . Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Moreover, authorities also managed to recover DNA evidence from the victims body and sent it in for testing, hoping it would lead them to the killer. He could have taken her body much deeper in the woods, but rather chose to leave it in a clearing, off the side of the road, where it would be easily discovered. However, Donnie was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder. Hours later, her body was discovered on fire on the side of aroad. Tullahoma Funeral Home's online guest book was flooded with condolences from friends, co-workers and other grieving mothers who knew now that another mother, Kelly's, was grieving, too. Aunts Anne Hale, Laurie Weeks, and Lisa Sharpton. To send flowers The Inquisitr is a registered trademark. While following the phone calls trail, the police met up with Naomi Jones, who said she and Megan were just acquaintances. There was DNA recovered, whichwas sent to the crime lab for testing, offering investigators a glimmer of hope. Some suspected that the killer was Donnie Frank Jones Jr., and he knew that some people had their eye on him. According to Chris, Megan told him that shed accepted a job offer afriend from nursing school had recommended her for. Invalid password or account does not exist. Megan's car, a red 1995 Ford MUstang, was found near Highway 64 on Three Forks Bridge Road. Many cousins, great aunts, and great uncles. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. So she, you know, maybe was a little too empathetic with people. We cherish the time we had with our Megan and are grateful for the breadth and variety of experiences we were able to share in her tragically abbreviated life. For more on this case and others like it, stream episodes of "An Unexpected Killer" here. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.tullahomafuneralhome.com. Megan Sharpton, 24, was a resident of Tullahoma, Tennessee, and was a couple of months away from earning her college degree. Her killer was Donnie Frank Jones Jr, who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for her rape and murder. DNA and CODIS linked the murder of Megan Sharpton to an ex-con named Donnie Frank Jones Jr., according to the website Blink On Crime. 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