In the quiet community of Crossville, Tennessee, the evening of September 27, 2020, was shattered by violence that claimed the life of 63-year-old Billy Ray Jones. A male resident of Christian Road, Jones was found deceased inside his home by Cumberland County Sheriff's Deputies who were responding to a 911 call about a shooting at approximately 6:22 p.m.
The cause of his untimely death was determined to be an apparent gunshot wound.
Investigators from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, along with agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the 13th Judicial District Attorney's Office, quickly identified a primary suspect in the homicide. The focus of their investigation centered on Thomas Mack Arnold Sr. Believing he had shot and killed Jones, authorities also learned that Arnold was attempting to flee the state with the intention of heading to Florida. A description of his vehicle, a green 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis, was dispatched to law enforcement agencies.
The manhunt for Arnold was swift and effective. In the early morning hours of the following day, at approximately 3:10 a.m., deputies from the Crisp County Sheriff's Office in Georgia conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 75. They successfully apprehended Thomas Mack Arnold Sr. without incident. He was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. Following his capture, Arnold was extradited back to Tennessee to face legal proceedings.
The judicial process culminated in a trial where Thomas Mack Arnold Sr. was prosecuted for the murder of Billy Ray Jones. The jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. Consequently, he was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the fatal shooting that ended the life of Billy Ray Jones.
