In the early morning hours of April 8, 2014, the life of 23-year-old Christopher Andrew Turley was cut short in the parking lot of the Stonewood Apartments on East Clark Boulevard in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Turley, a lifelong resident of Murfreesboro, was found deceased at the scene by officers who were responding to a report of a shooting. The investigation into the death of the young man, described as a male, quickly pointed to a suspect.
Authorities arrested 22-year-old Anthony P.
Smith in connection with the shooting. He was charged with first-degree murder. Reports at the time suggested the shooting may have been drug-related. Smith was held on a $500,000 bond following his arrest.
During a preliminary hearing in May 2014, a Murfreesboro Police Detective testified that they believed Smith had shot Turley from a balcony following an altercation. Based on the evidence presented, a General Sessions Judge found probable cause to send the case to the grand jury. This step meant that a group of citizens would hear the evidence and decide if there was enough to formally indict Smith on the charge of first-degree murder. However, information regarding the outcome of the grand jury's decision and any subsequent trial or conviction is not available in public records.
