27-year-old Jamie D. Hickman’s beaten and bloody body was found beside Frazier Road off Kodak Road in April 1989. She had been raped, beaten, and stabbed 15 times. The murder weapon was very sharp and possibly a razor blade. The homicide was described as a torture murder. Hickman had been beaten and robbed several times before her murder. Hickman’s brother said his sister was addicted to cocaine and worked as a prostitute to support her habit.
Detectives learned that Hickman was charging considerably less than other prostitutes for her services. They knew people were mad at her for this, but not mad enough to kill her. Detectives said it was possible more than one person involved in the murder. She was last seen around 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Circle N tavern at Central Street and Magnolia Avenue. According to a witness, she arrived at the tavern in a small, dark blue car with tinted windows. She acted nervous and borrowed $2 from a patron.
On July 20, 1985 the burned body of Betty Joyce Brown,aka Simmons, was found in the woods at 3805 Maloney Road in South Knox County. The 29 year old Austin-East graduate had been stabbed before being burned. Ms. Brown was last seen on July 14, 1985 between midnight and 1:00am in front of the Bread Box at Magnolia Ave and Spruce Street. It is believed that Ms. Brown was offered and accepted a ride from an unknown subject. Ms. Brown’s last know address was 2737 Tarleton Ave. Initial investigation indicated that when Ms. Brown’s body was found, she had been dead approximately 1 week. Family members described Ms. Brown as being a “very sweet and loving mother.”
If you have any information please call the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit at (865)-215-3520/3590 or e-mail coldcase@knoxsheriff.org.