The recent armed robbery at a McDonald's in Cool Springs has taken a grim turn. The suspect, 52-year-old William Bartholomew from Jackson, Tennessee, was found dead in Nashville. The Franklin Police Department announced Thursday that Bartholomew's body was discovered by local police, with the cause of death currently under investigation by the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
Franklin authorities had earlier identified Bartholomew as the individual behind the June 11 armed robbery at the fast-food chain located in the 1700 block of Galleria Blvd, as WKRN reports. The Franklin Police Department had issued a warrant for aggravated robbery following the incident. On the day of the robbery, Bartholomew was said to be wearing a head cover and a blanket or shawl adorned with WWE logos.
According to a follow-up report by WSMV, his body was located Friday, June 13, in an alleyway within the 1600 block of 11th Avenue North in Nashville. There were no "obvious" signs of trauma or foul play found on Bartholomew, the MNPD disclosed, and they are waiting for the Medical Examiner’s Office to ascertain the exact cause of death.
The Franklin Police Department confirmed the timeline of events in a social media post, stating: "FINAL UPDATE: The Franklin Police Department has been notified that the suspect in a recent armed robbery at a Cool Springs McDonald’s is deceased." The post went on to mention that the police in Nashville found William Bartholomew's body, and that the cause of his death remains under investigation by MNPD. This statement was obtained via a social media post from the Franklin Police Department.
FINAL UPDATE: The Franklin Police Department has been notified that the suspect in a recent armed robbery at a Cool Springs McDonald’s is deceased. William Bartholomew’s body was discovered by police in Nashville. The cause of Bartholomew’s death remains under investigation by… https://t.co/T639cdLXjn
— Franklin Police Department (@FranklinTNPD) June 26, 2025
