In the fall of 2020, the life of Lemuel Caldwell Appling, a 41-year-old Black male from Detroit, Michigan, was tragically cut short in Knoxville, Tennessee. On the evening of October 28, 2020, Appling was involved in a verbal altercation in the 2900 block of Hillside Avenue. The dispute escalated, and he was fatally shot. When officers from the Knoxville Police Department arrived at the scene, they found Appling, who was pronounced dead from his injuries.
The initial investigation into
the shooting was in its preliminary stages for some time as authorities worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal encounter. The Knoxville Police Department diligently sought information from the public, urging anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward. Their efforts were focused on identifying and locating the individual responsible for Appling's death, as the community grappled with the violent loss.
Through their investigation, the Knoxville Police Department identified 46-year-old Eric Bolden of Knoxville as the primary suspect in the shooting. According to police reports, it was Bolden who shot Appling after their argument intensified. A warrant was issued for Bolden's arrest on charges of second-degree murder. Despite being identified, Bolden managed to evade capture and remained at large for several months, leaving the case unresolved and Appling's loved ones awaiting justice.
The search for Eric Bolden came to an unexpected and violent end the following year. On May 3, 2021, Bolden himself was shot and killed in the 400 block of S. Hembree Street in Knoxville. At the time of his death, the warrant for his arrest in connection with Lemuel Appling's murder was still active. The investigation into Bolden's own death was opened, and as of the reports, no suspects had been identified in his killing.
