In the early morning hours of December 27, 2020, a dispute that began inside a Knoxville, Tennessee, bar tragically ended a man's life in the parking lot. Brandon Thomas Lee, a 30-year-old White male, was fatally shot outside Billiards and Brews on Unicorn Drive. Lee, an avid outdoorsman and a machinist by trade, was known for his love of mountain biking, dirt biking, and fishing.
The night took a fatal turn after an altercation involving Landon Hank Black, who was 25 at the time.
According to court testimony, Black became angered after witnessing Lee talking with his cousin's former girlfriend. This initial confrontation escalated, and as Lee was walking towards his truck in the parking lot, Black fired a single shot that struck him in the heart. The Knoxville Police Department responded to the scene around 2:20 a.m., where they found Lee with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Following the shooting, Landon Hank Black fled the state, prompting a nationwide search. The investigation led authorities to Los Angeles, California, where he was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service. Black was extradited to Tennessee to face charges for Lee's death. Initially wanted on a charge of first-degree murder, the legal proceedings culminated on January 24, 2022. On that day, Landon Hank Black pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. As a result of his plea, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Under the terms of his sentence, he will be required to serve 85 percent of his term before becoming eligible for release.
