On a cold January evening in 2013, the life of 37-year-old Leslie Guy 'Lee' Byford IV was tragically cut short in Knoxville, Tennessee. Originally from West Memphis, Arkansas, Byford was a man remembered by his family for his wit and kind, gentle nature. On the night of January 5th, which was also his birthday, he had briefly stopped at his home in East Knoxville.
Around 9 p.m., as he returned to his gold SUV where a friend was waiting in the passenger seat, a masked individual emerged
from behind a nearby fence. The assailant fired a couple of shots, striking Byford. The SUV then rolled down an embankment, coming to a stop. His friend, who was unharmed, went back inside the house to call the police. When officers arrived at the scene on Bonnie View Avenue, they found Byford deceased inside his vehicle. He had been shot twice.
The Knoxville Police Department launched a homicide investigation, which was the city's first of 2013. Investigators determined that the suspect, after the shooting, fled down a side street in the direction of a Hardee's on Magnolia Avenue. Despite canvassing the area and collecting evidence, the case quickly grew cold due to a lack of significant leads. No arrests have ever been made in connection with Leslie Byford's murder, and a concrete motive has not been established.
In the years following his death, Byford's family, including his mother Ann Marotti, has continued to seek justice. They have traveled from Arkansas to Knoxville to speak with detectives and have worked with support groups like 'Hope for Victims' to distribute flyers and raise awareness about the unsolved case. The family has offered a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest, holding onto hope that someone will come forward and help them find answers in the tragic loss of their loved one.
