In a quiet neighborhood in Lenoir City, Tennessee, a violent altercation shattered the evening peace and left a man dead. On January 18, 2025, 38-year-old Eric Matthew Leach was fatally shot. The events leading to his death reportedly began when a dark SUV, driven by Ashley Sharp, arrived at a residence on Taylor Lane. In the vehicle with Sharp were Vincent Ellis in the front passenger seat and Leach in the back.
According to a witness account detailed in an arrest warrant, an argument
erupted as Leach began removing items from the vehicle. This escalated into a physical fight between Leach and Ellis. At some point during the confrontation, Ashley Sharp is alleged to have approached Leach and shot him in the face. A neighbor's exterior surveillance camera captured footage of Sharp and Ellis getting back into the SUV and driving away after a shot was heard. Leach was transported to Fort Loudon Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Loudon County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation and sought public assistance in locating Sharp and Ellis, who were considered armed and dangerous. A search was initiated for the dark blue 2004 GMC Yukon they were believed to have fled in. The cooperative efforts of law enforcement, including the U.S. Marshals Service and the Knox County Sheriff's Office, led to the apprehension of both suspects in West Knox County the following day, on January 19, 2025.
Following their capture, arrest warrants were issued. Ashley Sharp, 30, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of her boyfriend, Eric Leach. Vincent Ellis, 31, was charged with being an accessory after the fact for his alleged involvement.
