William Riley Gaul Convicted of First Degree Murder

Prosecutors in DA Charme Allens Major Crimes Unit obtained multiple convictions tonight against William Riley Gaul, 19.A Knox County jury convicted Gaul of First Degree Murder, Stalking, Theft, Tampering with Evidence, Reckless Endangerment, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony, and Felony Murder.Judge Bob McGee imposed the mandatory life sentence and ordered Gaul into custody.

Upon the jurys finding of guilt, DA Charme Allen stated, Every day, we seek justice for victims, and today is no different.Today is about justice for Emma Walker and her family.That goal was achieved because of the hard work of many different people.Courageous citizens came forward, worked with law enforcement, stood with us, and made this trial possible.This trial also would not have been possible without the hard work of the FBI, TBI, Knox County Forensic Center, and the Knox County Sheriffs Office, especially Lt. Allen Merritt, who worked this case tirelessly from day one.I would also like to thank my Major Crimes Unit members, Connie Watts, ADAs Kevin Allen and Molly Martin who did a phenomenal job organizing and presenting a massive amount of evidence in this trial.Additionally, Victim Witness Coordinator Kim Strike stood by this family and cared for them throughout this difficult process.Lastly, I would like to thank the members of the jury who paid careful attention over the past seven days and came back with a just verdict that gave some measure of closure and peace to this family.

Life in prison means Gaul will serve fifty-one years in prison before he is eligible for parole.Judge McGee set the case for sentencing on July 20 to determine the sentence on the remainder of the counts.

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.