Johnny Leon Diven, 51, was found dead behind his vehicle parked along Highway 79 northeast of Paris on the evening of December 5, 2021. The Henry County Sheriff’s Department received a call about an injured person at 6:34 p.m.; responding units, including the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Henry County EMS, found Diven had already died from his injuries.

Investigators from the sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation determined he had sustained a gunshot wound. Review of evidence, including surveillance footage from a nearby business, led authorities to conclude the wound was accidental and self-inflicted; there were no suspects or arrests.

Diven was a father, grandfather, and the Street Department Supervisor for Coopertown, Tennessee. His family and community mourned his unexpected death. If anyone has information about Diven’s movements that evening, please share what you know.