In the early morning hours of June 8, 2014, the life of 40-year-old Frances Smith, a Black female known affectionately in her Chattanooga, Tennessee community as 'Prin Prin' and the 'candy lady,' was tragically cut short. She was discovered in her home on Woodlawn View Circle, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds to her chest. Smith was a beloved mother of five and a well-regarded figure in her neighborhood, making her sudden and violent death a profound shock to those who knew her.
The investigation into her death quickly focused on a primary suspect: her 31-year-old live-in boyfriend, Cashman Perkins. Within days of the shooting, authorities publicly identified Perkins as the individual they were seeking in connection with Smith's murder. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was soon placed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's '10 Most Wanted' list, elevating the search for him to a statewide level.
The manhunt for Perkins came to an end the following week when he was apprehended by U.S. Marshals in Columbus, Mississippi. Following his capture, he was extradited back to Tennessee to face legal proceedings. In a Hamilton County courtroom, Perkins waived his right to a preliminary hearing, and his case was bound over to the grand jury. He was subsequently indicted on a charge of second-degree murder for the death of Frances Smith.
