Man Charged With 2nd Degree Murder
By Jessie Williams
A Macon County man was arrested and charged with 2nd Degree Murder yesterday after he allegedly supplied drugs that led to another man’s death.
According to Detective Shane Gregory of the Macon County Sheriff’s Department, 28-year-old Nathan Kirby was found deceased at a residence located on Old Hwy 52 on March 18, 2022.
Information was collected from Kirby’s cell phone, and other sources, that revealed he had purchased narcotics from 27-year-old Brandon Dewayne Taylor.
“We discovered messages between Kirby and Taylor, where Mr. Kirby was asking Mr. Taylor for narcotics,” Detective Gregory stated. “Mr. Taylor replied that he had something that was “hot” and “stout.”
The autopsy report revealed Mr. Kirby had pure Fentanyl in his system, which led to his death.
Further investigation by detectives did confirm that Taylor was the source of the narcotics taken by Mr. Kirby.
He was arrested on Monday, May 9, for second degree murder, and transported to the Clay County Jail for his own safety.
Taylor was also charged with additional unrelated crimes he was wanted for.
According to Tennessee Code§ 39-13-210. Second Degree Murder is defined as the following:
- A knowing killing of another;
- A killing of another that results from the unlawful distribution of any Schedule I or Schedule II drug, when the drug is the proximate cause of the death of the user; or
- A killing of another by unlawful distribution or unlawful delivery or unlawful dispensation of fentanyl or carfentanil, when those substances alone, or in combination with any substance scheduled as a controlled substance by the Tennessee Drug Control Act of 1989, compiled in chapter 17, part 4 of this title and in title 53, chapter 11, parts 3 and 4, including controlled substance analogs, is the proximate cause of the death of the user.
Taylor’s bond was set at $100,000, and he is scheduled to appear in general sessions court on May 25, 2022.
Detective Gregory warns drug suppliers that law enforcement will be continuing to charge those involved in drug related deaths with second degree murder, when they can prove who provided the drugs.
“The DA’s office and law enforcement are cracking down on drug suppliers. Fentanyl is getting too bad and too potent. It’s causing too many deaths,” he remarked.
Macon County Sheriff Mark Gammons would like to thank all of the officers involved in this case and urges anyone with information involving illegal drugs to contact his office. Callers may remain anonymous.
