In the autumn of 2016, a quiet street in Knox County became the scene of a tragic event that cut short the life of 62-year-old Michael E. Self. On the evening of Friday, October 7th, family members grew concerned for his welfare and went to a residence on Millertown Pike to check on him. There, in the yard, they made a grim discovery: Michael Self was found with a fatal gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving his loved ones to grapple with the sudden and violent loss.
The investigation into the death of the Sevier County man quickly unfolded into a heart-wrenching story of a relationship that had ended in tragedy. Authorities from both the Knox and Sevier County Sheriff's Offices worked to piece together the events of that fateful day. Their investigation revealed that Michael Self's death was not an isolated incident but was connected to another that had occurred in Sevier County. The person responsible for his death was his 58-year-old ex-wife, Teena Rudd.
Investigators determined that the incident was a murder-suicide. After shooting her former husband, Teena Rudd drove his truck to the home of a family member in Sevier County. It was there that she turned the firearm on herself in an apparent suicide. Rudd was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The investigation concluded that Rudd was the sole individual responsible for Michael Self's death, and with her subsequent suicide, the case was closed, leaving behind a wake of grief and unanswered questions for the families involved.
