Have you lost a loved one to homicide? Trying to manage the overwhelming sense of grief can feel impossible, especially when grief is complicated by murder. You may feel as if no one understands what you’re going through, but you don’t have to suffer alone.
Tennessee Voices for Victims and the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference are working to bring support groups to your area. These groups – led by trained counselors – can help provide you with the community and tools you need to create a “new normal” in your life.
Learn more and sign up:https://www.tndagc.org/support/
When my 16-year-old daughter Sarah was murdered in a restaurant robbery, I relied on my faith in Jesus, which helped me tremendously, and I couldn’t have gotten through it still today without Him. But He provided me more when I was led to a homicide loss support group. The group was exactly what I needed. I found people who knew exactly what I was going through. I found counseling when I needed it most. And best of all, I have made some lifelong friends from the group members
After my 18-year-old son Jason was murdered in a daytime carjacking, I joined a homicide loss support group. That group was a tremendous help to me. There, I was able to open up and speak about my son’s story to others who could relate and completely understand what I was going through. No one can understand this kind of pain unless they have experienced it. I highly recommend a support group for anyone that has experienced this kind of loss.
My 19-year-old son Aaron was a sophomore at the University of Memphis. He was a gifted musician and beautiful person. After he was murdered in a robbery at work, I began attending a homicide loss support group. That group helped me to release all the anxiety that was in my brain that I refused to express. I was able to talk about the deepest hurts with the group, and we all knew what we were feeling and talking about. I do not like to talk about myself or about private stuff, especially the horrible murder of Aaron, but my counselor was great, and I was able to offload all the things I was holding inside. I will always appreciate what she did and the power of the group
After my son Andre, 21, and my nephew Greg, 22, were murdered together in a robbery, I began attending a homicide loss support group. The group gave me a safe place to share my pain with others who understood. One of the things I learned through the support group was to love the people who treat you right and forgive the people who don’t treat you right. They helped me realize that God never said life would be easy, he just promised life would be worth it.
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.