A 67-year-old man who vanished in the middle of his Chattanooga trial is back in custody after officers grabbed him on a Nashville street Wednesday, ending what authorities describe as a brief multi-agency search. Officials say he is being held in Davidson County while arrangements are made to return him to Hamilton County.
According to WSMV, the suspect, James Harold Tolliver, disappeared on April 9, the third day of his Hamilton County trial on charges tied to the 2023 rape of a teenage runaway. Even in his absence, a Hamilton County jury convicted Tolliver of assault and aggravated statutory rape. A warrant was issued on April 10, and federal marshals were called in to help track him down.
How Fugitive Teams Go After Runners
The U.S. Marshals Service teams up with local law enforcement through regionally based fugitive task forces that focus on suspects wanted for violent crimes. In Middle Tennessee, the fugitive task force combines federal marshals with county and city officers to chase down outstanding warrants across jurisdictional lines, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Tracked Down On Alameda Street
Following leads from investigators in Chattanooga, members of the Middle Tennessee Fugitive Task Force located Tolliver on Alameda Street in Nashville and took him into custody, WSMV reports. He was booked into the Davidson County jail, where he will stay while officials coordinate his return to Hamilton County for post-trial proceedings.
What Happens Next
With the jury already delivering a guilty verdict, prosecutors and jail officials are expected to arrange Tolliver's transport back to Chattanooga for sentencing and to resolve any remaining matters in Hamilton County court. Finding violent fugitives and protecting vulnerable victims remains a priority for marshals and their local partners, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
