knoxville central high school cheerleader killed knoxville central high school cheerleader killed

"But she said if I would help her write her paper, she would talk to me," Gaul told detectives. the 911 operator asked her. WebEmma Walker, 16, was sleeping at home in her bed in North Knox County, Tennessee, in November 2016, when two shots were fired into her bedroom, one of which hit her in the Gaul told detectives he had been trying to speak with Walker that weekend, but she wouldn't engage with him. "He said he was asking for his roommate," Walton told "20/20." Johnson trials to retire at year's end. Your guests may need piping hot cups of coffee, or a refreshing dose of cold coffee. We, on one occasion, saw one [that said] Ill see your name in the obituary, Jill Walker said. He knows he's not allowed here, Jill Walker said. Officials said Gaul was being held at the Knox County Jail on $750,000 bond. Mailing Address: 5321 Jacksboro Pike Cheerleading Kara Clark: Head Coach: 865-689-1400: Non-faculty University of Tennessee (2018) Kira Lawson: Head Coach: 865-689-1400: Full-time Teacher Emma texted with her friend Keegan Lyle about a homework assignment, then went to bed a little after midnight. I sat in the parking lot, just looking at pictures of us, he claimed. At first, the relationship seemed just kind of normal," said Keegan Lyle, one of Walker's best friends. Local Knoxville broadcaster WBIR 10 reported that the police officer wounded in the Austin-East High School mass shooting suffered non-life-threatening injuries. A source speaking with another local news outlet, Knox News, said the officer who was shot was a school resource officer. As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, the fund has raised $1,408 of the $20,000 goal. By Tim Stelloh One student was killed and a police officer was injured Monday in a shooting at a high school in Tennessee, authorities said. "He sounded like he'd been crying or he was sounding fatigued, I guess," Walton told "20/20." Soon, the cheerleader's social media accounts were filled with pictures of a seemingly perfect pair paddle boarding together, embracing and taking silly selfies. Emma Walker, a beautiful and vibrant cheerleader, had been killed by a gunshot wound to the head after two bullets had been fired into her bedroom from outside the family's single-story home. Gaul was booked into the Knox County Jail on a $750,000 bond. The following morning, Walker went home. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. I love you. Jamar Siler, 15, was charged with one count of first-degree murder and was being held in a juvenile court facility, police spokesman Darrell DeBusk said. He would just wait outside for hours, Hutton said. But however people show kindness, and to whoever they share it with, they also have one additional request: to wear purple. He and Walker went outside and sure enough, he said, they found "a body lying face down" in a ditch near the house. She said Gaul started waiting for Walker outside of the supermarket where she worked. Its all things that are a part of Emma and all mean something, said Jill Walker. First published on November 23, 2016 / 3:49 PM. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --A football player at Division III Maryville College in Tennessee faces a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of a 16-year-old girl who had reportedly recently broken up with him. Emmas parents say their house immediately felt calmer, but the sense of peace wouldnt last for long. Funeral services for slain Central High School cheerleader set for Saturday, National Park Service says never push a slower friend down when escaping a bear, Late power surge lifts No. The Central High "This wasn't a shooting that was a random act," Roehl said. (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. She would come out of her room, eat dinner with us, and socialize with us., Walker had even texted her friend Keegan Lyle to say she and Gaul were done for good., She just came to the realization that she deserved better, Lyle said. Investigators say William Riley Gaul killed the Central High School cheerleader . It was for my roommate. ", Keegan Lyle is seen here during an interview with ABC News "20/20. Then, "Go alone," said another, and another said, "I've got someone you love. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Jenny Weldon, Walkers aunt,told the Knoxville News Sentinelthe girl had ended a romantic relationship with Gaul in recent weeks, but he refused to accept the breakup. Maryville coach Shaun Hayes said through a spokesman that Gaul has been dismissed from the football program. "Obviously there's concerns for their safety. As a host, you should also make arrangement for water. She did her own thing., According to Walkers friends, Gaul became aggressive, sending her Snapchat messages that said, I hate you I hate everything about you and youre the biggest bitch Ive ever come in contact with.. These services (at no. Then we're all like, yes finally, it's happening. We're like, What we've been waiting for.. Calendar. Emma and Gaul dated on and off for two years. Then, waste no time, come knocking to us at the Vending Services. All Rights Reserved. Investigators had their suspicions, too especially after a witness in the neighborhood told detectives she believed Gaul had been the man in black trying to terrorize Emma the day before her death but they didnt have enough to pin the murder on him until two unlikely heroes stepped forward with a new lead in the case. Early that fall, Walkers moves on the sidelines caught the eye of an older student, Number 8 Central Highs wide receiver and then-junior Riley Gaul. "He never intended to cause her harm, never intended to cause her death," Wesley Stone, Gaul's attorney, told "20/20" exclusively. Investigators say William Riley Gaul killed the Central High School cheerleader . I just told her, um, how much I loved her, and, uh, that I was sorry she didnt want what we had anymore, he said in an interrogation tape. It's not just bruises, it's emotional and controlling. Gaul was previously indicted on charges of first degree murder, especially aggravated stalking, theft, tampering with evidence, reckless endangerment, employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, and felony murder charges. And going way overboard to do that," she added. Friends described him as a jokester, not the classic jock type. I love you more than words can describe, said another. She was shot through a wall of her home as she slept. "He would be off to the side, moping (and) saying things like, 'Oh, I just feel so depressed. I'm making sure Emma is OK, and he's trying to talk to me, and I just said, You know you're not allowed, you need to leave. And he did leave.. He denied showing it to McCarty and also denied asking Walton about removing fingerprints from a gun. "At that point, I knew that it probably was not a suicide," she added. WebLaw enforcement officials would eventually determine that Emma had been killed in her sleep, shot with a 9mm handgun in the early hours that morning. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. [My first thought was] You're kidding me. Just go through our Coffee Vending Machines Noida collection. "He got shot and started walking and he was holding his chest. 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. "He ended up telling me that he was so fearful for his life that he had stolen his grandfather's gun and he showed it to me," McCarty relayed to 20/20. Varsity Coed Basketball. His trial date on charges related to the death of 16-year-old Emma Walker was set for April 30. ", "Our phone call didn't go very well," he said. Web A grieving family is asking everyone to take a moment on Wednesday to honor a teen killed in 2016. For more information, please see Ms. Bri Dowis in the cafeteria during your lunch or in the guidance office. He didn't have a whole lot of passion or concern.. WebDateline NBC: Noises in the Night is an episode that chronicles the 2016 murder of Emma Walker, a popular and bubbly high school student who was found slain in her bed in her Depending on your choice, you can also buy our Tata Tea Bags. A little to himself from the outside looking in, you'd think he was just a normal guy.. TV networks and People magazine were among the news outlets nationally that reported and covered the case. "Go to your car with your keys," said one text message. WebWhy Investigators Realized Emma Walkers Death Was Murder It had been just like any other night. And he said, 'I know. Vending Services has the widest range of water dispensers that can be used in commercial and residential purposes. She also received a call from Gaul, who was screaming and begging her for help, according to the show. Officials said evidence at the scene indicted Gaul fired shots into her bedroom from outside the house while she slept. He says the officers encountered him in a bathroom and ordered him out but he wouldnt comply. She was a junior at Central High School, a member of the Afterward, Gaul told detectives, he went over to his grandparents' house briefly and then drove back to his college. Emma Walkers friends said she seemed happy with Gaul in the beginning. November 23, 2016 / 3:49 PM He's a prisoner in the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville. At his sentencing hearing today, Gaul, who did not speak during his trial, apologized to the Walkers for killing their daughter, but stuck by his defense that it was an accidental shooting. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. It sounded like someone was in the house and opened a door and slammed it, he told Dateline: Secrets Uncovered." Her mother said she loved animals and wanted to be a NICU nurse, so the family has since gotten a dog park and a NICU patient room at East Tennessee Childrens Hospital named after her. He was very likable., I thought he was a very nice looking young man, well-mannered, her father Mark Walker added. It was just very weird.". Emma was a beauty inside and out. Knoxville Central High School. Knoxville, TN. Police said in the tweet that the situation was still active, contradicting earlier information claiming that she situation was no longer active. Knoxville police confirmed that the man reportedly armed was killed in a shootout at Austin-East Magnet High School around 3.15 pm local time. He got more possessive and more clingy towards her, and wouldnt let her do certain things, Lauren Hutton added. %link% His attorney said he plans to appeal the ruling. Investigators said that on November 21, 2016, Gaul fired a gun into Walker's bedroom while she was asleep, killing the Central High School cheerleader. The Knox County Sheriff's Office reports that on Monday, Nov. 21, at 6:29 a.m., Gaul fired a gun into Walker's bedroom while she was asleep, hitting and killing her. They'd had a tumultuous relationship while dating, court records show. He refused to accept it. We also offer the Coffee Machine Free Service. WebWilliam Riley Gaul was a college football player when he murdered his 16-year-old cheerleader ex-girlfriend, Emma Jane Walker, while she was asleep in her bed at her home Just hours after calling law enforcement authorities, the 18-year-olds were ready to carry out the plan. ", "His interview was probably one of the most disconnected. It appeared to be a bullet hole.". She did become like her old self again, her father Mark Walker said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. James Hurst told 20/20. When we got into the interview room and sat down, I felt like there was a dark side. She really loved doing it. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Our community was blessed to know her.". He told investigators he spent the rest of the night in the parking lot of his college dorm, 25 miles away, crying over the breakup. He had his hands on his head. The funeral service will follow at 3 at Hill Cemetery. https://usatodayhss.com/2016/college-football-player-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-high-school-cheerleader, College football player charged with murder in death of high school cheerleader. Around 11:30 p.m. that night, her friend and classmate Zach Greene arrived at the house where they were hanging out and Walker pulled him aside. The operation was a success and Gaul was arrested. "She's, she's 16.". Around Halloween that year, Walkers parents decided to ground her - not allowing her to leave the house except to go to school and cheerleading. At the time of the murder, Gaul was attending Maryville College. She loved just being part of crowd appeal.. Weldon described her niece to the paper as abeautiful soul who was looking forward to graduating high school so she could begin studying to be a neonatal nurse. Knoxville police confirmed that the man reportedly armed was killed in a shootout at Austin-East Magnet High School around 3.15 pm local time. Gaul was a freshman wide receiver and student at Maryville College, while Walker was a cheerleader and honors student at Central High School in Knoxville. She loved leading and she loved football games. Walker's friends and family were devastated. Vending Services Offers Top-Quality Tea Coffee Vending Machine, Amazon Instant Tea coffee Premixes, And Water Dispensers. I love you forever and always. Her dad, Mark Walker, recalled hearing a loud noise the night she died Nov. 21, 2016. Students in the cafeteria began crying and scrambling to leave, while others tried to get in the room, thinking they had missed a fight, witnesses said. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. He said Gaul told him not to call 911 to report the alleged incident. But then she texted her friends, saying a stranger was at her doorstep. "I told him, 'Obviously not and not to ever ask me anything like that again.' Raised by his mother and grandparents, Gaul was a top student and loved to play video games. She was a cheerleader and student at Central High School. When police started interviewing Emma Walkers friends and family members that day, Merritt said the same name kept coming up over and over again. Gaul's grandfather, who had kept the gun in his car, had reported the 9mm handgun missing prior to Gaul being questioned. Emma Walker was a student and cheerleader at Central High School. Then detectives asked to see his cellphone and Gaul asked them if he was a suspect. Her sudden death initially seemed to be a mystery, but investigators ultimately discovered a bullet hole in the bedroom wall, suggesting that as the 16-year-old was sleeping, someone crept up outside the home and fired two bullets into the side of the house before sneaking away virtually unnoticed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims family and friends and other individuals affected by this tragedy, Maryville athletic department spokesman Chris Cannon said in a statement. The school has a recent history of gun violence among its current and former students. Investigators found two bullets had been fired into the walls of her bedroom, with one fatal bullet striking her in the left side of her head just behind the ear. He was sentenced to life in prison. Although Gaul would later insist to investigators that he had been kidnapped by two men who threw him into a van, Emma believed Gaul had been faking the kidnapping. Siler will be represented by the public defender's office. Gaul's attorney, Wesley Stone, filed the motion to acquit the young man or give him a new trial three years ago. I thought it was weird.'". I opened up her door to her bedroom and I stared at her for probably 15, 20 seconds and she was just lying asleep in her bed and I shut the door and went to my sons bedroom and he was in the bed asleep so I thought, Im hearing things., Friends who knew Emma who spent her days volunteering at an animal shelter and dreaming of one day becoming a neonatal nurse described her as down to earth, sweet, and the cheerleader on her high school squad who put the sparkle into what she would do.. Emma Walker's parents, Jill and Marker Walker, are seen here during an interview with ABC News' "20/20. Then, Lauren Hutton said, things became intense between the couple. It had initially been scheduled for December 4. We understand the need of every single client. In 2008 at Central High School, 15-year-old Ryan McDonald was killed by another 15-year Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. The Knox County Sheriff's Office reported that Walker had broken off a relationship with Gaul two weeks before they said he fired a 9 mm handgun into Walker's bedroom. Emma Walker was shot by Riley Gaul, her ex-boyfriend, as she slept in her North Knox County home. By Sunday night, things seemed back to normal at the Walker household. She was a 16-year Her family said before sentencing that they thought Gaul deserved to be executed. Once there, Gaul said, he broke down and cried for "two, three hours" in his car over breaking up with Walker. Emma's 21st birthday would have been this week and to honor her, her family is asking everyone to do something kind for someone else. No cops,'" said Walton. She's like, Zach, I'm getting these really weird text messages [that say] Come outside alone if you don't want to see a loved one get hurt, Greene said. You will find that we have the finest range of products. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Jill Walker said Gaul would always comment on what her daughter wore, telling her what she should and shouldnt wear, to the point where she said she ended up saying something to Emma about it. Video unavailable Watch on Sixteen-year-old Emma Walker was a beautiful, vibrant and warm-hearted cheerleader and high school student. The song is climbing the country music charts, and she and Kenny Chesney performed it live at the 2021 CMAs on CBS and WVLT. 2 Vols to series-clinching win over Zags, Pickens perfect game highlights day two of the Tennessee Classic, Knoxville utilities crews work to restore power after intense storms, Missing elderly Knoxville woman last seen at hospital, police say, Man accused of murdering Central cheerleader indicted, Maryville College football player charged in death of Central High School student, Warrant reveals new details of Emma Walker homicide case. By fall 2016, Emma Walker and Gaul were still dating. "He was a good kid who was dealt some bad cards in life.". A Knox County jury convicted Gaul, now 22, of numerous counts including the November 2016 murder of the Central High School teen. When Walker failed to meet up with her mother that morning as planned, Jill Walker returned to home and found her daughter and Gaul in the front yard. "If your boyfriend or girlfriend is telling (you) you can't go there, or what to wear, or who to hang out with, or who to talk to. One man was killed and a police officer injured at a Tennessee high school shooting on Monday afternoon. When Gaul started college, Emma discovered he had been photographed with other girls and ended the relationship for good just before Thanksgiving. I found this story on USA TODAY High School Sports and wanted to share it with you: Holding his head like he got hit upside the head kind of. The night after her death, they held a candlelight vigil at Central High, and her fellow cheerleaders released balloons in her memory at that week's Bobcats football game. She was a cheerleader at Central High School and shared her smile with the entire Bobcat Nation. But Gaul didn't seem to take the breakup well. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Young Williams Animal Shelter or to the Emma Walker Memorial Fund. The next morning as she was driving home from a sleepover, Emma was spooked by a man she saw near her home dressed in all black. Walker was immediately uneasy, Greene said, and she didn't really know what to think. The Knox County Sheriff's Office reported that Walker had broken off a relationship with Gaul two weeks before they said he fired a 9 mm handgun into Walker's bedroom. Officials said evidence at the scene indicted Gaul fired shots into her bedroom The machines are affordable, easy to use and maintain. Since her death, Emma Walkers family has tried to keep her legacy alive. A little after 6:00 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, Jill Walker went into her daughters room but she couldnt wake her up. Riley Gaul continued to repeatedly contact Emma Walker after their breakup. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Friends and family of Emma Walker are invited to Central Baptist Church of Fountain City. Emma Walker was shot by Riley Gaul, her ex-boyfriend, as she slept in her North Please enter valid email address to continue. This is insane, Noah can be heard saying in the recording as they head to meet Gaul. Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said she visited the officer, who was in good spirits and said hed rather it be him who was shot than someone else. The 16-year-old was shot in "We finally get to him and he's pulling up his head, kind of, has this confused face on," Greene said. "He was just like, 'No, no cops. Just, you know, about the size of a ballpoint ink pen," he said. "It's just a small bullet hole. Most importantly, they help you churn out several cups of tea, or coffee, just with a few clicks of the button. Mardi Growl to close several roads in downtown Knoxville on Saturday, What you need to know about paying to park in the Great Smoky Mountains, Severe storms move through East Tennessee, Wednesday marks Emma Walker Day, honoring teen killed by ex-boyfriend in 2016, Judge who presided over Eric Boyd, A.J. There was blood everywhere. She found out later that had never been the case, and Gaul came up with an unorthodox plan for both girls when it came time for prom. Knox County Sheriff's Deputy Nikki Bules, the lead forensic technician on the case, said the call originally came in as a possible suicide. In one post, Walker wrote, Look how lucky I am.. By: Logan Newman. How'd I get here?' Janaria Muhammad, 15, Justin Taylor, 15, and Stanley Freeman Jr, 16, were students at the school when killed in shootings that occurred away various locations away from the campus in recent months. Maryville already has completed its season. Additionally, none of Walker's friends contacted the authorities about the alleged kidnapping that night. She wasnt OK with it, but she did let it happen, friend Lauren added. "Only knowing those posts about him, if you just read that, if you just saw that, you would think that this was an ex-boyfriend who just lost his first love.". Example video title will go here for this video. A local news outlet in Knoxville, Tennessee has reported that an individual has been detained as a suspect in the shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School that left multiple people wounded. One man was pronounced dead at the scene while another was detained for questioning, the statement said. Although he denied killing Emma, Gaul said he believed if law enforcement officers discovered the gun, they may link him to a crime he didnt commit. Thinking Gaul was lying to authorities, Walton and McCarty then collaborated with police to help them lay a trap. He just looked confused. Example video title will go here for this video. For every nasty message Gaul sent Walker, there was also a quick apology. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Greene said that Walker thought it was one of Gaul's friends playing a prank on her, but that she texted back, threatening to call the police. Chad Griffin, 15, and Josh Matthews, 14, said that they were sitting about 10 feet away from the victim and talking when they heard a sharp noise. Its like a nightmare, Jill told Dateline: Secrets Uncovered,airing Thursdays at 8/7c on Oxygen.