Murderer Convicted of Shooting His Girlfriend

Prosecutors in DA Charme Allen’s Major Crimes Unit obtained a conviction against a man who shot his girlfriend and initially claimed it was a suicide.  Timothy Dion Wells, 47, was found guilty-as-charged and convicted of Second Degree Murder.  Judge Kyle Hixson revoked Wells’ bond, ordered him into custody, and set the case for sentencing on May 19 where Wells faces fifteen to twenty-five years in prison without the possibility of parole.

In a six-day trial, Assistant District Attorney Nate Ogle and Acting Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Spicer-Keller explained to the jury that on March 31, 2019, Knoxville Police Department Investigator Chas Terry responded to a 911 call regarding a deceased person at a residence off Pleasant Ridge Road.  Wells initially told investigators that his girlfriend committed suicide.  Wells later changed his story and said that he accidentally shot his girlfriend in the head while he was testing the safety on his handgun.  KPD Sgt. Brian Dalton, an expert in Forensic Toolmark Analysis and Firearm Incident Reconstruction, testified to the unlikelihood of an accidental discharge of the firearm.  Furthermore, he testified the trajectory of the bullet was more consistent with a point and shoot scenario.  Investigators also recovered text messages sent by Wells to another woman stating that he would rather be in a relationship with the other woman than the victim. The jury discredited both the defendant’s stories about suicide and an accidental shooting and found him guilty.

“As our community sees an increase in homicides, we will continue to aggressively prosecute cases of gun violence,” said DA Charme Allen.

Second Degree Murder is a Class A felony that carries a punishment between fifteen and twenty-five years in prison without the possibility of parole.  At the sentencing hearing in May, prosecutors will seek an enhanced sentence of twenty-five years.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.