Darrin Sean Tinsley, 52, of Candler, North Carolina, was found dead at his home off Morgan Cove Road just after midnight on December 2, 2021. An Army veteran known for his big smiles, a giving heart, and for DJing karaoke, he was living with a woman he had been dating for nearly a year in an above-garage apartment. Authorities say Tinsley was shot once in the chest during an argument after the couple returned from a karaoke show at Legends Bar and Grill in Maggie Valley. The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office identified Joselynn Faye Mead, 30, of Asheville, as the suspect; police say the two knew each other prior to the shooting.

Mead allegedly retrieved a 9 mm firearm after saying Tinsley pushed her, and shot him when he pushed her again. Tinsley is survived by his father David S. Tinsley, a stepmother, one son, and one daughter. Does anyone have information about Tinsley’s life in Candler or the relationship that could help clarify what happened that night?