In the late summer of 2016, the community of College Grove, Tennessee, was shaken by the tragic death of 21-year-old Britney Rose Cole. A Caucasian female, Cole's life was cut short, leaving her family and friends to grapple with a devastating loss. Her body was discovered on August 22, 2016, in a field off Cross Keys Road by individuals riding ATVs.
Investigators from the Williamson County Sheriff's Office were called to the scene and quickly determined that she had been the victim of a homicide, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound. It was estimated that her body had been at that location for 48 to 72 hours before being found.
The investigation into her death swiftly pointed to a primary suspect: her 21-year-old ex-boyfriend, Thomas Blake Bruner. Authorities learned that Bruner and Cole had been in a relationship and were living together at the same address. Family members informed investigators that Bruner was the last person seen with Britney before her death. This information led law enforcement to locate and question Bruner. Following an interview with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Thomas Blake Bruner was arrested and charged with criminal homicide in connection with Britney Rose Cole's death. He was subsequently booked into the Williamson County Jail on a $1 million bond.
Following his arrest, the legal process began to unfold. In late August 2016, Thomas Blake Bruner made his initial court appearance. During this hearing, his case was bound over to the Williamson County Grand Jury, which was scheduled to hear the evidence in October of that year. This step was to determine if there was enough probable cause to formally indict him on the charge of criminal homicide. Despite the initial flurry of media attention surrounding the case and the arrest of the primary suspect, further public information regarding the outcome of the grand jury proceedings, any subsequent trial, conviction, or sentencing of Thomas Blake Bruner in the death of Britney Rose Cole is not readily available in online sources. The case, which began with a tragic discovery and a swift arrest, fades from the public record, leaving the final chapter of this sad story untold.
