Sheriff Spangler is also a helicopter pilot and has flown mission to include Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief. He served under two different Sheriff’s as Chief Deputy before retiring from Knox County in 2009 to pursue his dream of professional fishing. After a short time, he was asked to serve as the Assistant Chief of Training for the Blount County Sheriff’s Office. He was at BCSO until December 2016 when he resigned to run for Sheriff of Knox County.
Sheriff Tom Spangler is a graduate of Carter High School and Tusculum College. Sheriff Spangler served our country in the United States Air Force before the start of his law enforcement career with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office as a Corrections Officer. Sheriff Spangler also served as a Patrolman, Patrol Supervisor, as a Metro Narcotics Detective and was instrumental in getting the Regional Training Academy as well as Knox County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit started.
He was elected in August 2018 and took office September 1, 2018. Sheriff Spangler graduated the 2004 FBI National Academy and is on the board for the Police Officer Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.). Tom Spangler is an active member of Clear Springs Baptist Church in Corryton. He is married to his wife, Linda, and has two daughters, Mellony and Mallory, having four granddaughters and one grandson..
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.