In a tragic turn of events stemming from a volatile dispute, 29-year-old Ethan Love of Nashville, Tennessee, lost his life on November 29, 2018. The male victim was shot and killed by 47-year-old Sonny Coulter in what police determined to be a murder-suicide. The violent encounter unfolded outside Coulter's home located on Harold Drive, just west of the Nashville airport.
The conflict between the two men was rooted in their connection to the same woman; Love was in a relationship with
Coulter's ex-girlfriend, who was also the mother of Coulter's children. Tensions had apparently been escalating, with reports of a prior altercation on November 18, 2018, during which Coulter allegedly threatened Love with a shovel. The circumstances that led to Love being at Coulter's residence on the day of the shooting remain unclear to investigators and the woman involved.
On the day of the fatal incident, Coulter took alarming steps to announce his actions. He sent a text message to a neighbor admitting that he had killed someone, which prompted the neighbor to contact emergency services. In a chilling video call to his ex-girlfriend, Coulter confessed to the shooting and declared his intention not to go to prison.
When Metro Nashville Police Department officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Love's body in the front yard. Shortly after their arrival, a shotgun blast was heard from the back of the house. Officers then found Coulter in the backyard, deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. An investigation into Coulter's background revealed an extensive criminal history that included serious charges such as aggravated rape and aggravated kidnapping. Due to the nature of the murder-suicide, there were no arrests to be made in the case of Ethan Love's death.
