In the autumn of 2015, the life of 44-year-old Marsha "Marti" Bowling, a White female from Knoxville, Tennessee, was tragically cut short. On October 6, 2015, Bowling was shot while sitting in her vehicle outside a home on Bradshaw Road. Her 6-month-old grandson was also in the car but was unharmed. Bowling was rushed to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in critical condition and succumbed to her injuries in the early morning hours.
The man responsible for her death was her
36-year-old ex-boyfriend, James Hurst. After shooting Bowling, Hurst barricaded himself inside his home, leading to a standoff with the Knoxville Police Department's special operations team. When officers were finally able to see inside the residence, they discovered Hurst on a couch with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was also transported to the medical center in critical condition and died from his injuries a couple of days later.
The investigation into the tragic event revealed a troubled history between Bowling and Hurst. Family members described their decade-long relationship as "rocky." Court records indicated that Bowling had previously sought a restraining order against Hurst in 2012. This order was upgraded in February 2013 to "no contact allowed" after Hurst set a car on fire outside a location where Bowling was present. The restraining order had expired in May 2013 and was not renewed. In the wake of the shooting, friends and family gathered at a nearby park to hold a vigil and remember Bowling, who they described as a loving person who was devoted to her children and grandson.
