Tennessee
Tennessee girl, 12, accused of smothering her 8-year-old cousin over an iPhone
HUMBOLDT, Tenn. — A 12-year-old girl in Tennessee has been charged with murder, accused of smothering her 8-year-old cousin as the younger girl slept.
A relative said they had been arguing over an iPhone.
A security camera recorded the killing, inside the bedroom they shared on July 15 in Humboldt, Tennessee, the county prosecutor said.
The victim’s mother, Rayana Smith, identified the 8-year-old as Demeria Hollingsworth, according to WREG.
The recording shows the older child using bedding to suffocate her cousin as the younger girl slept in the top bunk, Gibson District Attorney Frederick Agee’s statement said. After the child died, “the juvenile cleaned up the victim and repositioned her body,” Agee said.
A relative told WREG-TV in Memphis that the girls had been arguing over an iPhone after coming from out of town to stay with their grandmother.
The girl was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence after authorities obtained the video on Wednesday.
“I consider this to be one of the most disturbing violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted,” Agee wrote in the statement.
He said he would petition a judge to prosecute the girl, who turns 13 later this month, in adult court, which would allow for “a lengthier sentence, whether that will be through incarceration or supervision with court-ordered conditions.”
GREENBRIER, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Middle Tennessee man is facing a 64-count indictment involving child sex crime charges, according to the Greenbrier Police Department.
GPD reports that James Mackenzie Gay was indicted by a Robertson County grand jury following an investigation by the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
Investigators arrested Gay on Wednesday and he’s now being held at the Robertson County Jail.
Gay has been indicted on the following charges, according to GPD:
- 20 counts of aggravated sexual battery involving a child under 13
- 36 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, possession
- 5 counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, production
- 1 count of solicitation of a minor for rape of a child
- 1 count of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means
- 1 count of criminal attempted sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means
GPD expressed its gratitude to the 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Robertson County Child Advocacy Center for their assistance in this case.
No other information has been released at this time.
Copyright 2026 WSMV. All rights reserved.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — On the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Tennessee Republicans unveiled a new monument at the State Capitol honoring unborn children.
The Roe v. Wade decision allowed states to set their own abortion laws and triggered Tennessee’s Human Life Protection Act, which bans nearly all elective abortions in the state. The law has saved about 10,000 lives each year since taking effect, according to Tennessee Right to Life.
The Tennessee Monument to Unborn Children is located on the southeast side of the Capitol grounds. Lawmakers say it recognizes unborn children whose lives ended through abortion and serves as a place for reflection and remembrance.
The monument was approved by the General Assembly in 2018 and was paid for entirely through private donations.
Republican leaders said the monument reflects Tennessee’s commitment to protecting unborn children and honoring the value of human life.
See Dolly Parton celebrate Tennessean Travel Stop grand opening
The country music legend opened the first location of her Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee.
CORNERSVILLE, Tenn. — Out on the street, the traffic started jumpin’ as travelers made their way to Dolly Parton’s Tennessean Travel Stop on opening day.
“Dolly is on her way,” Tennessean Travel Stop owner Gregory Sachs told the media gathered at the new truck destination in Cornersville, saying Parton would cut the ribbon at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24.
The anticipation had been building all morning at the new roadside destination along Interstate 65. The 80-year-old country legend arrived wearing a blue-and-pink fringe ensemble, complete with her signature stiletto heels.
The “9 to 5” singer used the moment to make a playful quip about travel stop competitor Buc-ee’s.
“I’m sure some of you want to know why I wanted a truck stop,” Parton said. “Well, I couldn’t leave it to beavers.”
Parton ended the brief ceremony with a ribbon cutting, marked by an explosion of multicolored confetti featuring her signature butterfly.
The message drew cheers from guests who had spent the afternoon exploring the property, sampling food from DLY BBQ and trying a “Cup of Ambition” coffee, waiting to see whether Parton would make an appearance. Earlier promotional materials for the grand opening had stated that the country music icon would not attend the public festivities.
The appearance marks one of only a handful of public events for Parton in 2026.
In March, the East Tennessee star returned to Dollywood to launch the theme park’s 41st season after stepping back from several appearances while recovering from health issues and grieving the death of her husband, Carl Dean. During that appearance, Parton told fans she had been rebuilding herself “spiritually, emotionally and physically.”
Parton, who has been open about dealing with kidney stones, said in May that she is working with doctors after “my immune system and my digestive system got all out of whack over the past three years.”
What is Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop?
Located at Exit 22 off Interstate 65 in Cornersville, Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop officially opened to the public on June 24. The flagship location is a partnership between Parton, her longtime manager Danny Nozell and Gregory H. Sachs, owner of the Tennessean Travel Stop brand.
Inspired by Parton’s decades spent traveling the country by tour bus and her East Tennessee roots, the destination combines fuel services, food, shopping, live music and Tennessee-themed hospitality.
Bryan West is a music reporter at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
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