Monroe County deputies are asking for help finding 57-year-old Todd Lee Hopkins, wanted for violating probation by failing to register as a sex offender. The sheriff posted the alert on Facebook and listed tip lines.

Knox County has identified 65-year-old Donna Lee Ann Widener as the person who died in a March 10 house fire on Bays Mountain Road; investigators continue to probe the cause.

McMinn Central says its new OPENGATE portal screened about 515 students on day one, with administrators praising careful planning and thanking families.

An acquaintance has been charged with felony murder after 83-year-old Teddy Turner was found dead at his Livingston home, authorities say.

A Knox County judge will appoint an independent guardian ad litem to represent two children as competing lawsuits over their mother’s 2023 death and her estate move forward. The court step aims to protect the kids while civil claims proceed.

A Knox County grand jury returned presentments charging Douglas James Peek II with aggravated sexual battery and observing minors; the filing names two victims under 13.

A former Oak Ridge officer pleaded guilty to 23 counts of official misconduct Monday; the plea carries short jail stints, probation and surrender of his law-enforcement certification.

A car fleeing an unmarked law‑enforcement vehicle struck a Knox County Sheriff’s narcotics vehicle in East Knoxville, leaving three people injured, officials say.

Floyd Bedford, wanted on multiple felony warrants out of Knoxville, was arrested Monday in Jonesborough. Crime Stoppers posted the capture and urged tips to investigators.

NICB data reviewed by WATE show Tennessee logged 13,642 vehicle thefts in 2025, with Nissan Maxima, Altima and Hyundai models among the most stolen. Local hotspots and older models keep risk high for some owners.

Hawkins County deputies say the death of a 55-year-old man in Bulls Gap is being treated as suspicious; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been asked to assist.

A Claiborne County detective was arrested after a traffic stop and faces implied‑consent, open‑container and firearm‑related charges. The sheriff’s office has placed him on leave while state troopers investigate.

A guilty plea — and a later expungement — in the case of a former Knoxville officer has raised alarms about how prosecutorial decisions and record‑sealing can hide violent conduct. Advocates are calling for clearer rules.