A Hamblen County couple has been charged with the murder of a Sevier County man, according to officials. Rhonda L. Zimmerman, 40, and Phillip P. Bishop, 43, face second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges, the Sevier County Sheriff's Office confirmed Friday evening.
The investigation began on January 10 when the victim, 62-year-old Joe Westmoreland, was found dead in his home at 5355 East Parkway. An autopsy by the Knox County Regional Forensic Center later determined Westmoreland's death to be a homicide. In a coordinated effort, the Morristown Police Department and Sevier County detectives managed to swiftly locate and arrest Zimmerman on March 27. Bishop was apprehended the following day by the McMinn County Sheriff's Office. The duo is now detained at the Sevier County Jail, Zimmerman with a bond set at $500,000 and Bishop's at $1 million, as WBIR reported.
Sevier County Sheriff Michael Hodges made the announcement of the indictments, and though the exact circumstances surrounding Westmoreland's death remain under investigation, the couple is to soon stand before a judge. "The couple is awaiting arraignment in the Sevier County Circuit Court," the Sheriff's Office stated in a release, according to WVLT.
Details on the motive or the connection between Westmoreland and the accused have not been publicly released, as the case continues to unfold. However, residents have been assured that swift legal action is being taken. "SCSO detectives and the Sevier County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to a residence at 5355 East Parkway where a resident was found dead," the Sevier County Sheriff's Office explained, as cited by WATE.
The community now watches as the wheels of justice slowly begin to turn in this grave matter. With the suspects behind bars, a legal process marked by thoroughness and due diligence is expected to follow. The court will be tasked with unraveling the grim tapestry of events that led to the loss of one of their own in the quiet locality of Sevier County.
