In the small city of Lenoir City, Tennessee, a young man's life was cut short in a tragic act of violence. Dakota Marshall Willard, a 23-year-old male, was killed on February 11, 2019. The incident unfolded inside a residence on Lee Hi Street, a place Willard had been staying at intermittently since the middle of January of that year.
The person identified as the suspect in the shooting was 26-year-old David Tyler Miles.
Reports indicate that Miles had also been living at the same house on and off. On the morning of the shooting, it is believed that Miles stole his brother's shotgun and car while his brother was in the shower. He then drove to the Lee Hi Street home to confront Willard. A witness at the scene reported that Miles entered the house and instructed the witness to go into a back bedroom and close his eyes because he needed to speak with Willard. The witness then heard two gunshots. When the witness emerged, they found Willard deceased on the couch, having been shot in the upper right chest and the back of the head. Investigators believe a conflict over a girlfriend may have been the motive for the shooting. After Miles left the residence, the witness went to a nearby family member's home to call 911.
Following the incident, the Loudon County Sheriff's Office issued an alert for Miles. Thanks to a tip from a citizen who recognized his vehicle, he was arrested by Knox County deputies later that same day. Miles was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, especially aggravated burglary, and theft of property over $10,000. A judge set his bond at over $2 million. A grand jury later indicted him on these charges, and he was scheduled for arraignment on August 19, 2019.
