Technology opens new leads in Giles County, TN murder case

GILES COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s been more than 18 months since beloved businessman Jim Grimes was shot and killed on his Lynnville property. However, new advancements in technology have investigators confident the missing piece in solving the homicide is in their small Giles County community.

“Whether it’s getting rid of evidence or whether it’s assisting, we know that those people now exist, and with that information, then obviously that will be interviews forthcoming in the near future,” Lt. Shane Hunter with the Giles County Sheriff’s Department told News 2. 

What started as a homicide investigation in Giles County has become a non-stop effort with agencies across the country, including the FBI and Homeland Security. 

“I’ve been doing this for 25 years and the countless hours that people have invested is just astronomical,” said Hunter.

Investigators remain hopeful there will soon be resolution for Grimes’ loved ones with developments in fields such as genealogy and DNA analysis, as well as technological resources extending from across the world playing a vital roll.

“Such as commercial satellites that orbit,” Hunter explained. “Finding out if those satellites were actually in the vicinity during the time that this crime happened and actually obtaining imagery from those commercial satellites.”

These satellites are among the tools helping investigators nail down the events that unfolded in Lynnville on April 19, 2021.

“We’re just missing a few seconds. I’m not talking about minutes, I’m talking about seconds. That’s how tight this time frame is involved in this case,” the lieutenant emphasized.

Hunter said authorities believe those responsible for Grimes’ death have ties in the community that can help bring closure in the case, which has been detrimental for the Grimes family, as well as their neighbors.

“Obviously Lynnville is a very tightknit community, and it’s having overwhelming effects on the community knowing if there’s still a murderer amongst the community,” he said. 

The Giles County Sheriff’s Office released the following statement this week about this homicide case:

On the evening of April 19, 2021, Jim Grimes, a beloved community member and business owner, went out to feed the animals on his Lynnville property. It was at this time that Jim was shot and died from his injuries.

Lynnville is a close-knit community, and we take care of each other. What happens to one is felt by all. Our community, especially the Grimes family, deserve answers. Giles County Sheriff’s Office investigators and our federal partners are working diligently on this case and are following up on every lead and tip we receive. We continue to use every available investigative method, technology, and resource toward our unified goal of seeking justice for Jim’s family and friends.

To protect the integrity of the investigation, we are unable to share specific details at this time, however, based on the investigation to date, it saddens us to advise that we believe the person(s) responsible for Jim’s death are members of our small community. Further, investigators continue to review and test evidence, and recent advancements in technology have allowed us to develop new investigative leads. As many of you have likely seen in the media lately, developments in fields such as genealogy and DNA analysis have led to resolutions in many other cases. We remain hopeful these new technologies will lead to a resolution for Jim’s loved ones.

Investigators also continue to conduct interviews related to this case. We thank those who have already been interviewed, as we anticipate speaking with you again and appreciate your patience. For those we have yet to engage with, we believe your information is valuable and should be shared. We believe people familiar with circumstances surrounding this case remain in our community.

It is sometimes the case that people who have knowledge initially do not come forward as they may not have realized the importance of the information at the time. Additionally, due to their close relationship with those who may have been involved, they may have been hesitant to speak with law enforcement. We recognize relationships change over time as do people and their perspectives. Further, there are times when people are unknowingly brought into a situation by the person(s) responsible. Rest assured we have the ability to identify those that were inadvertently involved.

We are asking for your cooperation; it is not too late to come forward. For those individuals who may have information about this incident who have not yet spoken to law enforcement or believe their information may be insignificant, please contact us, even anonymously, and allow law enforcement to make that determination.

We have a designated phone line for you to share your information.

Anyone who may have information about this homicide case is urged to contact authorities at 931-638-2358 or 1-800-TBI-Find. You can remain anonymous.

There is also still a $1 million reward for information that leads to a conviction in connection with Grimes’ death.

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