In the early morning hours of May 12, 2022, the life of Antonio DeWayne Grisham, a 40-year-old African American man from Nashville, Tennessee, was tragically cut short in a brutal act of violence. Firefighters responding to a blaze at his residence in the 800 block of West Sharpe Avenue in East Nashville made a grim discovery. Inside the burning home, they found Mr.
Grisham, not a victim of the fire, but of a fatal gunshot wound.
Investigators with the Metro Nashville Police Department's Homicide Unit determined that Mr. Grisham had been shot in the head prior to the fire being set. The act was quickly classified as a homicide, with detectives believing the fire was intentionally started to conceal the crime. The case sent ripples through the community, leaving friends and family to grapple with the violent loss of a man known affectionately as 'Lil Tony.'
Born in Nashville on August 3, 1981, Antonio Grisham was a father to several children and a doting grandfather. His loved ones remember his love for dressing well, his ever-present smile, and the fact that he never met a stranger. He was known for his love of reading the Bible and studying the law, and he enjoyed spending time with his family, listening to music, and making them laugh with his jokes. In the time leading up to his death, he had embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, starting several of his own businesses.
Despite the ongoing efforts of law enforcement, the investigation into Antonio DeWayne Grisham's murder has yet to yield any arrests or publicly named suspects. The case remains an open and active homicide investigation. Authorities have urged anyone with information regarding the shooting or the subsequent fire to come forward, as a family and a community continue to await answers and hope for justice for a life taken too soon.
