ELIZABETHTON — The second suspect is now in custody in a Carter County Sheriff’s Department investigation of the murder of 64-year-old Edward Elliott of Roan Mountain.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced at 4:30 p.m. Friday that Jim Chambers, 37, of Carter County, had been captured in Louisiana. The other suspect in the murder investigation, Joey Lee Guinn, 46, Mike Clawson Road, Hampton, remains in the Carter County Jail, with bond set at $5 million. Both men are charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of Elliott.
The TBI reported that Chambers had been arrested in Louisiana with the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans office, the Louisiana State Police, and the Jefferson Parrish Sheriff’s Office.
The charges against Chambers and Guinn stem from a missing persons investigation that began on March 31, after members of Eliott’s family reported to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office that he was missing. Elliott had last been seen in late January or early February.
On May 15, investigators of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, along with assistance from the Elizabethton Police Department, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, executed search warrants at Guinn’s home and nearby properties. Investigators also received assistance from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Wayne Wilhoit and his K-9 partner, Ruger, who is a cadaver detection canine. Other agencies at the scene included the 1st Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the Carter County Rescue Squad, and the William L. Jenkins Forensic Center.
During the search of the property, Ruger alerted to the presence of human remains, and the area was then probed and scanned with a metal detector. The detector indicated the presence of a metal object beneath the soil. The area was excavated, and a large freezer was found under the ground. When the freezer was opened, investigators discovered it contained human remains believed to be Elliott.
After Chambers’ arrest, Sheriff Fraley said the investigation is continuing.
“I want to to express my deepest thanks to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the FBI New Orleans Office, the Louisiana State Police and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for aiding in the apprehension of Mr. Chambers,” Fraley said. “I would like to thank the public for their assistance in providing tips and spreading the word that we were looking for Mr. Chambers in the death of Mr. Elliott. It was an anonymous tip we received that ultimately led us to identify Mr. Chambers and Mr. Guinn as suspects the murder of Mr. Elliott.”
While the sheriff’s department awaits the extradition of Chambers to Carter County, Guinn made an appearance in Carter County Sessions Court on Wednesday for a noon hearing. A preliminary hearing was set for June 5 in the first degree murder and other charges.
