The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 03:02 PM
Knox Man Arrested After Tying Woman Up With Tape, Setting Home On Fire In Karns
According to arrest records, the suspect's stated he wanted to kill someone before.
Karns and Rural Metro fire departments were sent to the 8800 block of Joe Daniels Road near Oak Ridge Highway at 8:29 a.m. Monday, according to dispatchers.
KCSO said a man — now identified as 47-year-old Michael Childress — broke into 33-year-old Jacqueline Whitehead's house. Whitehead told police she heard a noise and found Childress in the kitchen. They had a physical altercation and he allegedly tied her up with tape, set the house on fire and ran away. Karns Fire put out the blaze.
Authorities said the Whitehead escaped and gave a description of Childress to detectives at the scene.
Childress — who has a criminal record involving aggravated assault and theft in Knox County — has been charged with aggravated burglary and aggravated kidnapping in the case.
