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James Lyon II charged in Sept. shooting death of Katrina Blackburn

Following a preliminary hearing in Coffee County General Sessions Court Tuesday, Dec. 5, Judge Greg B. Perry found probable cause to bind over the charges of Reckless Homicide and Possession of a Weapon of a Convicted Felon against defendant James Garrett Lyon II to the grand jury.

Lyon, 27, was charged in the death of 22-year-old Katrina Blackburn following a shooting at the couple’s residence at 54 A Street in Hillsboro on Sept. 14, 2023.

Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Brandon Gullett was the only individual to take the stand during the pre-hearing.

Assistant District Attorney Jason Ponder first asked Gullett to describe what he had seen when he arrived at the home of Blackburn and Lyon on Sept. 14 after receiving a call of a female with a gunshot wound.

Gullett said he was an on-call investigator working on a different assignment nearby when he received the call and responded to the address.

“Came in, observed Mr. Lyon, also observed deputies doing compressions on a female laying prone out in the kitchen floor,” Gullett said.

Gullett said the female was Blackburn and she was deceased at that time.

“Was there any apparent cause of death just blaring you right in the face,” Ponder asked Gullett.

“A single gunshot wound to the forehead,” Gullett said.

Ponder asked Gullett if he observed any weapon in the vicinity and Gullett said there was a silver and black Smith and Wesson XD40.

Gullett said in addition to Blackburn and Lyon, the couple’s young child as also in the home at the time of the incident.

Gullett said Lyon described the incident as, “a vehicle had slow-rolled passed the house, Katrina had asked for him to grab the gun, he goes, grabs the gun, brings the gun back, hands it to Katrina, they go outside, check the perimeter of the house, come back in to the kitchen and in one version she asked him to clear the gun and while he was clearing it and talking on the telephone the gun goes off by him pulling the trigger, shoots her, in the next, she asks him to clear the gun so they could clean it, at that time he is on the phone trying to clear the gun, the gun goes off, shoots her in the head.”

Ponder asked Gullett about the safety mechanism on the gun, and if it is possible to discharge without pulling the trigger.

“It is not likely,” gullet said.

Defense attorney Brent Keeton also questioned Gullett during the preliminary hearing, asking if the scene was recorded by Gullett or the other two officers on the scene at the home and also what other audio or visual recordings exist.

Gullett said he recorded audio on his phone, and there is also patrol car video as well as the 911 call and calls Lyon made from jail.

Keeton asked Gullett to describe what he observed after entering the kitchen of the home shared by Blackburn and Lyon.

“Other than the blood everywhere, there was a Corona bottle that was open, sitting next to the stove, there was a, I believe it was a pizza, a frozen pizza, there was just random things that you have in everybody’s household,” Gullett said.

Keeton then asked Gullett if Lyon’s blood alcohol level had been tested and Gullett said that had been done at the Coffee County Jail.

Keeton also asked Gullett if Lyon appeared to be intoxicated that evening.

“He didn’t appear to be intoxicated, no sir,” Gullett said.

Keeton asked Gullett if at this point in the investigation, is there anything that shows that the death of Blackburn was anything other than an accidental shooting.

Gullett said the incident was a “reckless shooting.”

“Let’s work off that, reckless shooting,” Keeton said. “You don’t have any evidence at this point to suggest that Mr. Lyon intentionally or knowingly killed Katrina Blackburn.”

“At this point, no sir,” Gullett said.

Keeton then asked Gullett what was left in the investigation.

Gullett said these include the autopsy results, results from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as well as stuff from the medical examiners as well as testing.

Keeton also asked Gullett if he was aware of any domestic issues or arguing between Blackburn and Lyon on the day of her death and Gullett said he was not.

Judge Perry said both charges would be bound over to the grand jury, scheduled for January 26, 2024.

“Regarding the reckless homicide and the murder, based upon the testimony, the type of weapon, the location of the shot I am going to find that there is probable cause to bind that over to the grand jury as well,” Perry said.