Fighting for Rutherford County

Family members wondered what happened to a relative from North Carolina who disappeared 47 years ago.

The relative was identified as Jessie Lee Williamson, 52, last week after more than 11 years of extensive DNA testing, said Rutherford County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Richard Brinkley.

Williamson’s body was found by a maintenance worker Aug. 1, 1978 at Poole Knobs Recreation Area on Jones Road near La Vergne. An autopsy showed he suffered multiple gunshot wounds and severe burns.

“He’s been without a name to us for 47 years,” Brinkley said of Williamson. “We no longer have a John Doe.”

Williamson’s identity allowed Brinkley to give answers to a niece who is in her mid-80s. She told Brinkley her uncle lived in Alabama and visited his family in North Carolina but she hadn’t had contact with him for years. Family members didn’t know his whereabouts.

She gave a DNA sample that led to Williamson’s identification. She was the only surviving family member Brinkley was able to locate. 

“I had mixed feelings,” the niece said after learning about his identity and death. “I am glad to finally know where he was. I am sad my mother and grandmother didn’t know what happened to him.”

She said Williamson served in the U.S. Navy and lived in Alabama.

Sheriff’s detectives and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Agent, the late Tom Carmouche, investigated the case from 1978 with little evidence.

DNA from the body was submitted for testing by former Detective Steve Kohler in 2014.

Brinkley gave DNA evidence to a family genealogy site in 2020 and to the private DNA lab, Othram in 2021.

“We submitted a piece of his bone and were able to develop a DNA profile,” Brinkley said.

Othram did genealogy research with the DNA and was able to find potential family members.

Brinkley talked with the niece and asked if she would be willing to help by providing DNA samples.

Othram officials notified Brinkley Wednesday of Williamson’s identity that was the sergeant’s major priority since he became involved in the investigation.

“It shows the public that we never quit that we’re always going to keep looking for the answers,” Brinkley said.

He credited Othram for matching the DNA and providing the victim’s name.

Now that the body is identified, Brinkley hopes someone will come forward with information about his death. People who have information are asked to contact Brinkley at 615-904-3045 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

“We’re always trying to seek justice for victims,” Brinkley said. “We can’t work without the community’s help. It’s very beneficial to law enforcement.”

During the investigation, Kohler, Detective Sgt. Dan Goodwin and Brinkley constantly worked with other families with DNA samples to help identify the body.

In one case, the James Sanders family of Portland, Tenn., contacted the detectives after seeing news reports about the search for Williamson’s identity.

Brother Eddie Sanders, his sister and James Sanders’ children gave DNA samples the detectives submitted to the in January 2015 to the North Texas University DNA lab for testing.

Lab employees notified the detectives six months later the man found in La Vergne was not Sanders. Those samples remained at the lab.

Sheriff Kevin Rambosk of Collier County, Florida, announced in August 2021 the lab matched bone from the body found in Immokalee to Sanders’ DNA submitted by Rutherford County detectives.

“This important development was made possible thanks to DNA technology and the dedication of everyone involved in this investigation,” said Rambosk.

“Without the combined efforts of multiple agencies, Mr. Sanders would still be unidentified after 40 years,” Rambosk said. “Now that our victim has a name, the homicide investigation can continue to be actively worked.”

Brinkley said the detectives believed the Sanders’ family was a good lead to their case. But he was glad Sanders’ body was identified in Florida.

“Our work in conjunction with DNA helped give closure to another family, which was awesome,” Brinkley said. “Inadvertently, it helped solve a case for another law enforcement agency.”