A gathering of family and friends to celebrate an 80th birthday in Baxter, Tennessee, turned tragic on the evening of November 5, 2024. A long-standing dispute between two of the guests culminated in a fatal encounter in the driveway of the residence. Randall Lee Eldridge, a 63-year-old male, was shot and killed during the altercation. The celebration, held for a respected member of the community, was shattered by the violence that erupted around 8 p.m.
The man identified as the shooter
was 56-year-old Bobby Andrew Phy. According to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, the two men had been involved in a feud that stretched back at least a decade. Witnesses reported that an argument broke out between Eldridge and Phy at the party. During the heated exchange, Phy produced a firearm and fatally shot Eldridge before turning the weapon on himself. When first responders arrived at the home, both men were found deceased at the scene.
Investigators have characterized the incident as a murder-suicide, stemming from the prolonged animosity between the two men. Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris described the event as a 'sad tragedy,' particularly as it unfolded at a family celebration for individuals he described as 'highly respected and upstanding citizens.' Because the perpetrator took his own life immediately after the killing, no arrests have been made in connection with Eldridge's death. The investigation is ongoing, though the details of the decade-long feud that led to the deadly confrontation have not been publicly disclosed.
Randall 'Randy' Eldridge was the owner of Unique Wood Supply in Sparta, Tennessee, and was known as an avid 'picker and junk hunter.' He was a member of the Locust Grove Church of Christ and enjoyed traveling with his wife, Stefanie. He is survived by his wife, a son, two step-children, and several grandchildren.
