Today's Show Unravels a Cold Case Labeled "Suicide" that Ended with a Murder Conviction 25-Years Later

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - Join us today on the WGNS Action Line as we dive deep into the complexities of the judicial system with the Rutherford County District Attorney's Office. Hosted by retired Assistant District Attorney J. Paul Newman, this episode explores a chilling cold case that transitioned from a suicide investigation to a murder conviction.

Deborah Sherfield Bess was 38 years old when she was found dead from a gunshot wound on August 19, 1986, at her Richland Road home. Investigators at the time ruled her death a suicide; however, in 2011, Cold Case Detectives Lieutenant Bill Sharp and Sergeant Dan Goodwin received new information about the circumstances surrounding her death. After a lengthy investigation, Goodwin presented their findings to the Rutherford County grand jury, which indicted Jewell Moses Bess for the first-degree murder of his second wife. When indicted, Bess was already behind bars after being convicted on 4 counts of "Rape of a Child" in 1998.

In 2012, a jury in Rutherford County found the defendant guilty as charged, and the trial court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment.

On today's show, we hear directly from the detectives who solved this case. Lieutenant Sharp and Sergeant Goodwin are guests on this episode, so make sure to listen.

Assistant District Attorney Trevor Lynch also provides updates on ongoing murder cases and other pressing matters within the courts.

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