In the early hours of May 4, 2023, the quiet community of Surgoinsville, Tennessee, was disturbed by an act of violence that resulted in the death of 56-year-old Billy Ray Jones. A white male, Jones was discovered deceased inside a camper located on a property at 2520 Stanley Valley Road. The cause of his death was determined to be a single gunshot wound.
Authorities from the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the residence at approximately 4 a.m.
in response to a shooting complaint. Upon their arrival, they were met by 25-year-old Cody Jackson, who also lived at the address. In a direct admission to the deputies, Jackson stated that he had shot his uncle, Billy Ray Jones. Following this confession, officers located Jones's body within the nearby camper.
Cody Jackson was promptly taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. He was subsequently transported to the Hawkins County Jail, where he was held without bond. The circumstances that precipitated the fatal shooting have not been publicly disclosed by law enforcement as the investigation remains ongoing.
