In the winter of 2017, a senseless act of violence cut short the life of Michael Anthony Nolan, a 58-year-old man from Knoxville, Tennessee. On the afternoon of January 3rd, Nolan was in his vehicle in the 2400 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue when he was shot. Despite his grave injury, he managed to drive about a block before he was found. He was rushed to the UT Medical Center, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries.
The community was left in shock, mourning the loss of a man described as a cherished member of the Overcoming Believers Church.
The Knoxville Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the homicide, which they believed occurred during a robbery. Their efforts led them to a person of interest who was already in custody on unrelated charges. This individual was later identified as Odell L. Glass, a 34-year-old man with a criminal record that included convictions for aggravated assault. Within days of the shooting, the investigation solidified, and the focus centered squarely on Glass as the primary suspect in Nolan's death.
In February 2017, a Knox County grand jury indicted Odell L. Glass on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, felony murder, and being a felon in possession of a weapon. The legal proceedings that followed painted a grim picture of the events that transpired on that January afternoon. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing that Glass had approached Nolan's vehicle with a handgun, entered the car, and shot him once. The single gunshot proved to be fatal.
After a four-day trial in November 2018, the jury found Odell Luther Glass, Jr. guilty of First Degree Felony Murder, Reckless Homicide, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon. The court sentenced him to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after serving 51 years, bringing a measure of justice to the family of Michael Nolan and a close to a tragic chapter in the Knoxville community.
