Chad Mitchell Lankford, 45, of Decatur, has been indicted for first-degree murder in the shooting death of 47-year-old Jason Burnette on July 6 at a home on Peakland Road in Decatur, Meigs County, Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Meigs County Sheriff’s Office, and 9th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office investigated the case, and a grand jury returned the indictment on Monday, according to WVLT.
Lankford was subsequently arrested and is currently held at the Meigs County Jail on a $1 million bond. In a statement obtained by WBIR, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported: "On November 24th, the Meigs County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Chad Lankford with one count of First Degree Murder." This legal move follows a collaborative investigative effort by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement.
Chad Mitchell Lankford has been indicted in a case related to the death of Jason Burnette. "The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence," as stated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation."The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law." The case will continue through the legal system, where the evidence and facts will be reviewed in court.
