A Roane County man has been convicted of the first-degree murder that occurred back in 2020, District Attorney Russell Johnson announced. Joshua Aikens, 39, will now serve a life sentence with the chance of parole for the killing of Robert Quenton McCullough. The case that began with a missing person report made by McCullough's mother on October 17, climaxed when his body was discovered on December 2nd in an abandoned trailer in Oakdale, Tennessee.
As per WVLT, Aikens could be up for release in 51 years from his initial arrest if he is to earn "good behavior" credit. The life sentence under Tennessee law typically spans 60 years, but with the state's parole system, early release is a possibility. The investigation saw the involvement of several law enforcement entities including the Roane County Sheriff’s Office, the Rockwood Police Department, and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department.
WATE reports that besides Aikens, two other accomplices, Shane Parks and Nicholas Holloway, have been charged in connection with McCullough's murder and are currently awaiting their trials. The discovery of McCullough's remains came after he had been last seen alive over a month earlier on October 7, 2020.
Detailing the events that led to Aikens' conviction, WBIR revealed that the Roane County Sheriff's Office had received an anonymous tip which ultimately led them to the location of McCullough's body. The intensive collaboration among local law enforcement highlighted the committed effort to bring closure to a case that shook the Roane County community.
