In the late winter of 2018, the life of a young Nashville man was tragically cut short. On the morning of February 24th, the body of 20-year-old Charlie Brown Jr. was discovered in a grassy area near the Pedestrian Bridge at 26th Avenue North and Alameda Street. An investigation by law enforcement would later determine that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to his head.
Metro Police initiated an investigation into the death of the young African American man, which was soon ruled a homicide.
Investigators determined that the motive behind the killing was robbery. Their efforts to bring those responsible to justice led them to identify two suspects: 20-year-old Tamarrius Portis and 20-year-old Jonathan Chatman. The first break in the case came on March 2, 2018, when Metro Nashville police officers engaged in a foot chase with Portis, ultimately leading to his arrest. He was subsequently taken into custody and held on a significant bond.
Just a few days later, on March 7, 2018, the second suspect, Jonathan Chatman, was apprehended at a Nashville apartment complex. With both suspects in custody, the investigation moved forward. Both Tamarrius Portis and Jonathan Chatman were formally charged with the murder of Charlie Brown Jr. The arrests marked a significant development in a case that had brought a somber note to the Nashville community.
