TN TN - Peggy Barnes, 40, Knoxville, 3 June 1985

jafsell

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Hi, I am new to this forum! I am looking for more information on the case of Peggy Ann Barnes. There were only a few newspaper articles that I could actually find on the case. At the time, the police said the Peggy Ann Barnes would've known her killer but at the time, they do not have any suspects. I have done a lot of research and I haven't been able to find out any more information about her case, specifically whether they were ever able to find their suspect or if this is still a cold case. The case just particularly struck me because it seemed as if the killer would've had previous experience.

This was the only information that I was able to find on the case:

Daily News
June 5, 1985

"Daughter Discovers Nude Body Tied to Bed...Knox Woman Found Bound, Slain"

Knoxville- Knoxville police authorities today intensified investigation efforts in the murder of a Halls community woman.

Mrs. Peggy Ann Barnes, 40, was found dead at her home Monday by her 16-year-old daughter.

Jeannie Barnes was expecting to find her mother preparing supper as usual when she returned home from school Monday.

Instead, the Halls High School sophomore found the nude body of her mother tied to a bed, killed, and possibly raped.

<modsnip>


"Housewife Knew Her Killer, Knox Police Say"

Daily News
June 6, 1985

A 40-year-old housewife, whose nude body was found bound to a bed in her rural Knox County home, apparently knew the person who killed her, police say.

Peggy Ann Barnes was found Monday by her teenaged daughter who has returned to the family home near the Knox-Union County line after school, detectives said.

"Whoever did this had to know her and have this planned beforehand," Knoxville Police Lt. Herman Johnson said Tuesday. No arrests had been made as of late Tuesday.

Knox County Medical Examiner Dr. Randall Pedigo, who performed an autopsy, said the woman was killed between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Monday.

Investigators are "practically certain" the victim was sexually assaulted and strangled, Johnson said.

After the slaying, the killer apparently, walked out the front door which was open when the victim's 16-year-old daughter arrived about 3:45 p.m., he said.

There were no sign of forced entry, Johnson said. No pry marks were found at the windows and a back storm door was still locked, he said.

"To tie someone up like this indicates they had killing her in mind all along. It was probably someone she trusted," Johnson said. The woman's wrists were bound to the bed railing with rope, "similar to ski rope," police said.

-I also found an obituary for her husband, I believe.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/knoxnews/obituary.aspx?pid=167172041
 
Dang! That is my own fault. I'm not familiar with Knoxville, Tennessee, or Kentucky, so for whatever reason I had gotten it into my mind that Knoxville is in Kentucky. Thank you for bringing that to my attention!
 
This is a beautiful area. I'm sure we've driven by the house. Much more developed these days than in 1985.
 
I've never been there but I can imagine! :) The two newspaper articles mention her living on Old Maynardsville Highway and in a "rural area".
 
Dang! That is my own fault. I'm not familiar with Knoxville, Tennessee, or Kentucky, so for whatever reason I had gotten it into my mind that Knoxville is in Kentucky. Thank you for bringing that to my attention!

We also have a Knott county here in Kentucky. Easy to confuse. :) I have been looking, and I can't find any more than you have on this case.
 
Here is something that may be/may not be relevant to this case.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/may/31/tennessee-has-troubled-history-medical-examiners/

That article basically outline Tennessee's really bad luck with medical examiners. Dr. Randall Pedigo, who performed the autopsy on Peggy Ann Barnes, is one of the doctors who is mentioned in this article.

Apparently, he pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual battery and four counts of illegally dispensing a controlled substance in 1995. The article says that, "He lured boys and young men to his Knoxville condominium and drugged them before molesting them. A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent shot Pedigo multiple time claiming the doctor put him in fear of his life when authorities went to his condo."

Randall Pedigo obviously had some serious issues and secrets in his personal life, whether or not this affected his work, I do not know. I hope not.
 
We also have a Knott county here in Kentucky. Easy to confuse. :) I have been looking, and I can't find any more than you have on this case.

Thank you for your help! :) This is just a heartbreaking case! I'm happy to see that in the obituary that I was able to find, it seems that her daughter and her husband were able to move on after this tragedy and find some semblance of happiness. It makes me wonder though, what happened with this case? Did everything just come to a dead end? It definitely seems like whoever did this could have known her.
 
Well now this seems like another Franklin Floyd MO , all the damage he has done we should look at where he was at that time , sure fits rural knoxville , tied up , was she blond by any chance?
 
hmmm looks like he was in the area, GA, not too far and in 86 left for Az so its plausible!
 
Well now this seems like another Franklin Floyd MO , all the damage he has done we should look at where he was at that time , sure fits rural knoxville , tied up , was she blond by any chance?

I'm not sure. I have not been able to find a picture of her. I can vaguely remember hearing about his case but I don't remember the details. What was his MO?
 
I've never been there but I can imagine! :) The two newspaper articles mention her living on Old Maynardsville Highway and in a "rural area".

DH and I got lost and drove around over there one afternoon. Its semi rural. Very pretty to me. You can be riding along in the country and there you are in a very developed area. We just rode until we got back to an area we recognized.
 
Well now this seems like another Franklin Floyd MO , all the damage he has done we should look at where he was at that time , sure fits rural knoxville , tied up , was she blond by any chance?

There was mention in the Sharon Marshall thread of him being in or near KV at one time. Definitely an interesting angle to check out. This murder occured very near KV. Really, just outside of KV.
 
Also, t here is fairly easy Interstate access to this area. Several different interstates go through the area and converge in KV.
 
I've tried to look up Lt. Herman Johnson, the homicide detective on the case, but I haven't been able to find anything on him. Of course, by now he is retired but I was just hoping to find some snippet of a quote saying, "We've got the killer." It bothers me to think someone has gotten away with this for so long.
 
There was mention in the Sharon Marshall thread of him being in or near KV at one time. Definitely an interesting angle to check out. This murder occured very near KV. Really, just outside of KV.

Yes the Woman who had given the police interview said Sharon was orig. taken from just ouside Knoxville, and her Dad murdered Janet Carter she was found tied as well I wish we had a name on this father to sleuth him!!!!I just know this man and his circle of friends (cough) are responsible for alot more than they are getting credit for!
 
Jafsell check out the Sharon Marshall thread esp the TN link update, they were back in that area in the 80's for a bit
 
She was found nude and bound , same as Janet Carter same area and the woman in the TN Link update from Matt said her Father was still alive and in the area. I think I just repeted myself ! I must be tired :(
 

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