(WOKI) There is a rare super blue moon set to grace the skies this week.
NASA defines the term supermoon “as either a new or full moon that happens when the moon is within 90% of perigee, its closest approach to Earth.”
The moon will be closest to Earth for this orbit Wednesday morning at 11:55. According to NASA, the moon will appear full for three days, from Tuesday to Friday morning.
“About 25% of all full moons are supermoons, but only 3% of full moons are blue moons,” according to NASA.
The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It won’t happen again until 2037.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department and East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers are working to apprehend those responsible for metal thefts in Knoxville.
The first is a bronze statue of two children reading stolen from Tank Strickland Park on Asheville Highway. Officials with East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers say it could be sold almost anywhere, even on Facebook Marketplace.
Knox County officials say a monument was stolen from a Knoxville park (Courtesy: Knox County)
“They could have it taken to be melted down, taken to some flea market or something out there,” said Stacy Payne with East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers. “It could even show up on Marketplace. Keep an eye out. If you see something like that, it should stick out to you.”
Police are also looking looking for a suspect in another metal theft; a man was seen on camera robbing a Kingston Pike pawn shop, taking thousands of dollars in gold and silver.
(Courtesy: KPD)
“You’re looking at seven to eight thousand dollars worth of coin. He’s got it out there somewhere. Someone knows some information,” Payne said.
(Courtesy: KPD)
If you have any information on these thefts, you are asked to call Crime Stoppers. You can also report tips here.
Anderson County, TN (WOKI) An Oak Ridge man was found guilty Monday, August 19 of several counts in a grisly Anderson County rape and murder case.
Sean Finnegan faced several charges, including first-degree murder, rape and abuse of a corpse.
The charges stem from a 2020 investigation, during which police said Finnegan and his girlfriend, Rebecca Dishman, held 36-year-old Jennifer Paxton inside their home, torturing and raping her for days before finally killing her.
The jury reconvenes Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. for the sentencing phase of the trial; Finnegan could face the death penalty.
Sean Finnegan, 56 (Courtesy: Anderson County Sheriff’s Office)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Human remains found two decades ago in Knoxville have finally been identified.
The Knox County Regional Forensic Center identifying the remains Monday morning as Brian A. Sanderson.
Sanderson was found in 2003 near I-275 at the Woodlawn entrance ramp.
Knoxville Police responded and a team from UT assisted in the recovery at the time.
In 2008, investigators submitted a DNA sample to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, which is a national database for missing or unidentified persons.
The Forensic Center took the body in 2017, determining the remains were those of a white man around five feet tall between 40 and 60 years old.
In 2022, KCRFC got in touch with Othram, a company that tests DNA to help in cold cases.
“We work diligently every day to try to identify every decedent and connect them with their next of kin, regardless of how long they’ve been here,” said Chris Thomas, the center’s chief administrative officer. “We want the families to have closure.”
Othram matched the remains to Sanderson.
The case goes back to November of 2003, when the Knoxville Police Department began investigating after someone noticed a body on I-275 at the Woodlawn entrance ramp. (Brian Sanderson, circa 1967. Photo credit: Knox Co. Regional Forensic Center)
Cumberland County, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: A woman missing from Cumberland County has been found dead.
Officials with The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation report 69-year-old Roxanne Gallagher was found dead Saturday afternoon in Lake Cumberland in Kentucky.
TBI had issued a Silver Alert for Gallagher earlier this month after she was last seen in late June on Dogwood Road.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued a Silver Alert Friday afternoon for a missing Cumberland County woman.
TBI officials say 69-year-old Roxanne Gallagher was last seen in late June on Dogwood Road wearing a blue shirt and jeans. They say she has a medical condition that may impair her ability to return home without assistance.
Gallagher is described as being 5′2′ tall and 130 pounds with blue eyes and blonde hair.
Roxanne Gallagher, 69 (Courtesy: TBI)
TBI adds that Gallagher may be driving a maroon 2000 Buick LaSabre with TN license plate BGR-9782. Anyone with information is asked to call the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office at 931-484-6176 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
(Courtesy:TBI)TBI said 69-year-old Roxanne Gallagher was found dead Saturday afternoon in Lake Cumberland in Kentucky. (Courtesy: TBI)
Dandridge, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating a fatal shooting Saturday night in Dandridge.
Officials with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office say deputies responded just after 8:00 p.m. to a reported shooting in the 500 block of Daisy Way, finding two gunshot victims.
According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, a woman was taken to the hospital for treatment, but a man, later identified as 47-year-old Johnathan Michael Williams was pronounced dead at the scene.
TBI said the investigation remains active and ongoing.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (Courtesy: TBI)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway following a fatal pedestrian-involved crash Saturday evening in Knoxville.
Knoxville Police Department officials say the crash happened around 8:50 at the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and Bertrand Street.
Police say a vehicle traveling west on Magnolia struck a 61-year-old woman who was attempting to cross the roadway; she was taken to UT Medical Center but later died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
KPD says the driver of the involved vehicle remained at the scene and that witnesses indicated the vehicle was driving through the intersection and had a green light at the time of the collision.
The investigation into the crash remains active and ongoing.
This is a developing story.
KPD added that the vehicle and driver involved stayed on the scene. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Morristown, TN (WOKI) A victim is identified and a suspect arrested swifly following a deadly hit-and-run accident Sunday morning in Morristown.
Officials with the Morristown Police Department say the incident happened just after midnight on West Andrew Johnson Highway.
Thirty-one year old Alisha Marie Caminiti, was attempting to cross the highway in the 2400 block near S. Austin Road when she was struck and killed by a vehicle heading westbound.
Police say the driver, 34-year-old John Crocillo, of Morristown, left the scene before officers could arrive but was arrested later on Sunday.
He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death.
“MPD Chief Roger Overholt would like to thank the public for providing information about this incident as well as the officers and investigators who worked diligently to identify and charge the responsible individual,” MPD said.
Greeneville, TN (WOKI) A traffic stop in Greeneville Thursday night leads to the arrest of a man and a woman suspected in the death of a four-year-old child.
An officer with the Greeneville Police Department stopped a white Ford Expedition around 10:00 p.m. on West Andrew Johnson Highway, arresting Cody Williams and Miranda Crowe. Both reportedly had charges out of Hawkins County.
Officials with the Greeneville Police Department say Williams is facing felony charges for second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect and tampering with evidence.
Crowe had warrants out for child neglect, aggravated assault and failure to report child abuse.
Both Crowe and Williams were taken to the Greene County Detention Center before being handed over to the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, according to Sheriff Ronnie Lawson.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department is investigating a fatal, single-vehicle crash that happened Friday morning at Buffat Mill Road and Loves Creek.
KPD says the crash happened around 11:45 a.m. when a van traveling east on Buffat Mill Road went through the intersection at Loves Creek and crashed through a guardrail, ending up in the woods.
A woman driving the van was pronounced dead at the scene. Two adult passengers were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
KPD says speed was a possible factor in the crash.
Deadly crash at Loves Creek (Courtesy: Knoxville Police Department)
