Samuel “Sammy” Jennings, 49, male, was killed on the morning of April 9, 2026, in Jamestown, Tennessee. What began as an emergency call about a shooting on Whippoorwill Lane quickly became a homicide investigation in the small Fentress County community. Deputies with the Fentress County Sheriff's Office were sent to the 100 block of Whippoorwill Lane shortly before 9:00 a.m., and when they arrived, they found Jennings suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said a woman was seen leaving the area after the shooting. Investigators later identified her as Jolina Upchurch, a Jamestown woman, and she became the focus of a search that stretched through much of the day. During that search, law enforcement described the suspect as armed and dangerous while multiple agencies assisted, including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Jamestown Police Department, Fentress County EMS, and Fentress County Fire Department.
By the evening of April 9, authorities announced that Upchurch had been found and taken into custody. Reports placed her arrest announcement around 6:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. that same day, after hours of searching in connection with Jennings' death. She was charged with criminal homicide in the fatal shooting.
Public reports did not provide a detailed motive, relationship between Jennings and Upchurch, or the exact sequence of events that led to the gunfire. The available accounts describe a sudden deadly encounter at Jennings' home, followed by Upchurch allegedly leaving the scene and law enforcement moving quickly to locate her. As of the available reporting, Upchurch was the only named suspect, and no additional suspects had been publicly identified.
Jennings' obituary listed him as Sammy Jennings of Jamestown and said he passed away at his home on April 9, 2026. Funeral information indicated that graveside services were scheduled for April 26, 2026, at Livingston Cemetery in Jamestown. The sheriff's office publicly extended condolences to Jennings' family and loved ones, calling his death a tragic loss for the community.
