In the quiet community of South Knoxville, the life of 32-year-old Adam Christopher Davis, a Caucasian male, was abruptly and violently cut short. On the morning of December 31, 2016, a friend made a grim discovery at Davis's Highland View Drive home, finding him deceased around 3 a.m. An investigation by the Knox County Sheriff's Office would later reveal that he had been killed the previous day, on December 30, 2016, from multiple gunshot wounds.
His body was then taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center for an examination.
The investigation into the brutal slaying quickly pointed to a suspect, Nicholas Scates, who was 32 years old at the time. Authorities from the Knox County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit identified Scates as the individual responsible for the murder. On January 6, 2017, Scates was apprehended and faced charges of first-degree murder. Further investigation into Scates's background revealed a significant criminal history in Knox County, with prior charges that included aggravated assault, various drug-related offenses, evading arrest, and theft.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement also took Scates's 21-year-old girlfriend, Sacha Kirkpatrick, into custody. Her arrest, however, was based on an outstanding warrant from the state of Georgia. Friends and family of Adam Davis remembered him as a caring and trusting individual who had a passion for gaming and anime. A celebration of his life was held on January 9, 2017, as those who knew him mourned his sudden and tragic passing.
