A Sweetwater woman has taken a misdemeanor plea in connection with a Hamblen County Airbnb party that ended in gunfire, leaving two teenagers dead and two more wounded.
Gracious Tyler Boruff pleaded guilty in Hamblen County court after prosecutors said she rented the Airbnb where a Jan. 4 party ended in the shooting. A judge ordered Boruff to serve 11 months and 29 days on probation, complete 12 hours of community service, and receive credit for time already served. Her plea resolves the only charge she faced in the case: contributing to the delinquency of a child.
According to WATE, the guilty plea was entered in Hamblen County General Sessions Court as part of a negotiated disposition in which prosecutors accepted the misdemeanor charge. Court paperwork cited an affidavit stating that Boruff drove minors to the gathering and rented the property where the shootings unfolded.
What officials say about the Jan. 4 shooting
Investigators say the shooting broke out in the early hours of Jan. 4 at a rental home in west Hamblen County. Marsalous Tre‑Dante Vestal, 19, of Morristown, and Jayden Andrew Bullard, 16, of McMinn County, later died. Two other juveniles were shot, treated at area hospitals, and released, as reported by WVLT. The Hamblen County Sheriff's Office said roughly 25 to 30 people were at the party when gunfire erupted.
Two men, 18‑year‑old Adam Perez Jr. of White Pine and 19‑year‑old Talan Wayne Trevathan of Sevierville, were arrested in the days after the shooting and initially charged with second‑degree murder, according to WATE. Prosecutors later added counts that include two counts of aggravated assault and 19 counts of reckless endangerment. A judge set bond at $600,000 apiece with monitoring conditions, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 19.
Court documents and warrants obtained early in the investigation stated that Boruff drove three minors from Sevier County to the Airbnb and that controlled substances and alcohol were present at the gathering. Airbnb suspended the account tied to the booking while the company investigates, according to local outlets. Earlier affidavit details provided additional context about the case.
Legal context
Under Tennessee law, contributing to the delinquency of a minor is a Class A misdemeanor. In the most serious cases, the statute allows for a maximum sentence of 11 months and 29 days in the county jail. The offense and its penalties are laid out in Tennessee Code § 37‑1‑156, which also gives juvenile and general sessions courts authority to hear such matters.
The case remains active for the two men still facing serious felony counts. Investigators with the Hamblen County Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are continuing to gather witness statements and video as the court process moves forward. Community members and family of the victims have held vigils and called for accountability while the legal timeline plays out.
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