In the early hours of October 25, 2017, the life of 37-year-old Devillas Dodson, a male resident of Columbia, Tennessee, was tragically cut short in Franklin. Dodson, who had close ties to the Franklin community where he once lived, was visiting a home on Chestnut Lane when the fatal incident occurred. Shortly after 2:00 a.m., a call was made from the residence reporting that someone had been shot.
Upon their arrival, Franklin Police officers discovered Dodson lying in the driveway with a gunshot wound. They immediately began administering CPR in an attempt to save his life. However, their efforts were in vain, and paramedics who arrived a short time later pronounced him dead at the scene. The investigation into his death was promptly classified as a homicide.
In the days and weeks that followed, detectives worked diligently to piece together the events that led to Dodson's death. They questioned the residents of the Chestnut Lane home where he was visiting and appealed to the public for assistance. Authorities urged anyone in the area with home surveillance cameras to review their footage for anything that might aid in the investigation. A $5,000 reward was offered for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for his murder.
Despite the ongoing investigation and the reward offered, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the years since his death. The case of Devillas Dodson's murder remains an open and unresolved investigation for the Franklin Police Department, leaving a grieving family and community without answers.
