Jamie Bargatze is determined that three unsolved killings – including the October 23, 2022 shooting that took her son, Nathan "Nate" Garvin – will not fade into the background. The Nashville photographer says her grief has turned into a purpose: pushing for the names, faces, and answers she feels have been in short supply. As she leans on photos and memories of her son, she keeps pressing police and community groups to keep the cases front and center.
What happened outside the club
According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, Garvin, 29, was standing outside an after-hours club in South Nashville in the early morning hours of Oct. 23, 2022, when a dark sedan pulled up, and someone inside opened fire. He was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he later died. Police have kept the case open for investigation and are still asking anyone with information to come forward.
A family's private fight for answers
Bargatze told NewsChannel 5 that she keeps Nate close in the most literal way. "We had Nate cremated and brought him home and he lives in my office," she said, adding that she has no intention of easing up on her push for answers. The station also reports there is a $10,000 reward for tips in the Garvin case and that a local Unsolved Murder event is being dedicated to his memory.
Cold-case ties
The city's public cold-case records show that Armondo "Mondo" Smoot was shot and killed outside a home on Aug. 29, 2015 after leaving an after-hours club. The Metro Nashville Cold Case site lists the Smoot case and includes contact information for anyone who can help detectives understand what happened. Nashville Cold Case
Other family losses
Bargatze also told NewsChannel 5 that tragedy struck her family long before Nate's killing. Her cousin, Chris Walton, was killed in a home invasion in 2000, and she said that despite years of investigation, the family still does not have clear answers about where the shooter is. That history, she said, has made steady and transparent communication from investigators especially crucial for her family.
Police response and how to help
Metro's Cold Case Homicide Unit serves as the official contact for unsolved homicides, and the city's cold-case webpages list the unit's email, directing anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Nashville Cold Case also includes information on older cases and outlines how tips can be submitted to MNPD.
Bargatze says she will keep pushing until someone breaks the silence. For now, the family's campaign, backed by a community event and a reward, is one of the few public tools left to try to nudge these cold files toward long-awaited answers.
