A Scott County jury has convicted Harley David Holicki of reckless homicide in the death of Crystal Chambers, a mother of three whose 2021 shooting set off a sprawling, multi-agency investigation. The verdict, returned Friday after a four-day trial in Scott County Criminal Court, was announced this week by the district attorney's office, with sentencing now set for the summer of 2026.
In a Facebook post, Jared Effler, 8th District Attorney General, confirmed the guilty verdict and named the trial team. The state was represented by Assistant District Attorneys General Apryl C. Bradshaw and Graham E. Wilson. Scott County Criminal Court Judge Zachary R. Walden ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set Holicki's sentencing hearing for August 10, 2026. Effler noted that jurors reached their decision after four days of testimony and deliberations.
Investigation and Forensic Work
Forensic testing and the medical-legal death investigation were conducted at the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, which provides autopsy services for counties across East Tennessee. According to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan serves as chief medical examiner and oversees those services. Prosecutors told jurors that the forensic findings were a crucial piece of the state's case against Holicki.
Case Background
The shooting that killed Chambers took place on Oct. 25, 2021, on Ditney Trail in Pioneer. A Scott County grand jury later returned indictments in March 2022 that charged both Holicki and the victim's father, Larry Chambers, with reckless homicide. As detailed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, agents opened the case at the request of the 8th District Attorney General's office and worked alongside Scott County detectives throughout the investigation.
What's Next
Judge Walden has ordered a pre-sentence investigation report before Holicki returns to court. Sentencing is scheduled for August 10, 2026. According to Jared Effler, 8th District Attorney General, the findings in that report will inform both the court's recommendation and the final sentence imposed at the August hearing.
Legal Note
Under Tennessee law, reckless homicide is defined as "a reckless killing of another" and is classified as a Class D felony. That statute will govern the range of sentencing options available to the court. For the full text, see Tennessee Code.
