Death treated as murder: Autopsy report not yet conclusive

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

TANNER

Mystery still surrounds the death of a local auto dealer as crime teams are completing their three-day investigation of his Viola Highway home where his body was found Tuesday morning.

“We’re going to keep working this as a homicide until we are told otherwise,” said District Attorney General Dale Potter. “The fire is still being treated as very suspicious.”

The probe into the mysterious death of Junior Tanner, 57, owner/operator of J.R. Auto Sales on Highway 108, began after his body was found in the burned-out debris of the trailer where he lived by himself. The trailer is located immediately beside his auto sales office, where a trail of blood was found. It is not known if the blood belonged to Tanner or his possible assailant.

Also still a question is the cause of Tanner’s death. An autopsy was conducted Wednesday by Forensic Pathologist Dr. Bruce Levy; however, lawmen have only received a preliminary report of the findings. The cause of death is still being studied by Levy and the results are being delayed by the condition of the victim’s burned body.

Potter said it could be several days before investigators learn the cause of death and whether Tanner was dead before the fire started. It will also take several days, or weeks, for the crime teams from the TBI and Tennessee Fire Marshal’s office to file their findings.

Investigators are hopeful the fire marshal’s office will be able to determine whether the fire was intentionally set and if there were traces of accelerant used to set the fire.

Until the reports are complete, Potter said investigators will continue to treat the case as a murder and follow up what leads there are. Potter added anyone who may have seen anything suspicious at the car lot Tuesday morning should contact the sheriff’s department at 473-8738. The fire was discovered shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday.