In the summer of 2014, the life of 41-year-old Charles J. King III was tragically cut short in Chattanooga, Tennessee. On June 25th, he was discovered deceased in his SUV, the vehicle left near the solemn grounds of the National Cemetery. An investigation into his death revealed he had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head, and the case was swiftly classified as a homicide.
For nearly a year, the circumstances surrounding his death remained a painful mystery for his loved ones and the community, as law enforcement worked to piece together the events of that fateful day.
A significant development in the case came almost a year later, in June of 2015, when Chattanooga police announced the arrest of a suspect. Nineteen-year-old Chester A. Phelps was taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide in connection with King's death. His bond was set at $200,000 as the legal process began to unfold. Details emerged during the investigation that Phelps had allegedly been seen bleaching his hands and burning his clothes after the shooting, actions that raised suspicion.
Despite the initial arrest and the seemingly incriminating evidence, the path to justice took an unexpected turn. In July of 2015, the criminal homicide charges against Chester A. Phelps were dropped. The District Attorney's office cited a lack of sufficient evidence as the reason for the dismissal of the charges. This decision left the case unresolved, and the search for definitive answers and accountability in the death of Charles J. King III continued.
