A dispute over a bright work light on a Friday evening in Rossville, Tennessee, tragically ended the life of Jerry Hightower, a 59-year-old man from Trion, Georgia. On April 3, 2026, Hightower, a self-employed construction worker, was performing maintenance work on Ridgewood Street. The incident occurred just after 9 p.m. when an argument erupted over a work light Hightower was using that was shining into a neighboring home.
The argument escalated, leading to Hightower being fatally shot
in the front yard of the residence where he was working. When Walker County deputies arrived at the scene, they found Hightower deceased. Witnesses at the scene directed the authorities to the suspected shooter, who was sitting on his porch across the street.
The suspect was identified as 49-year-old James Richard Nowlin. He was taken into custody without incident and has been charged with murder. Nowlin is currently being held at the Walker County Jail without bond as the investigation into the shooting continues.
