In the early morning of April 18, 2016, 71-year-old James Pete McCarroll was found dead outside his workplace, Allied Metal Recovery and Refining on Gouge Hollow Road in Coalfield, Tennessee. Co-workers discovered his body between about 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. He had been severely beaten and shot at least once. Investigators stated robbery was a likely motive because McCarroll was known to carry substantial amounts of cash and the killer appeared familiar with his routine.

McCarroll was a lifelong Coalfield resident, a Vietnam veteran and cancer survivor who retired from Boeing and B&W Clinch River in Oak Ridge. The family and friends offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office led the initial probe; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation took primary responsibility in 2019.

In January 2021 a Morgan County grand jury indicted 51-year-old Timothy Giles on the murder charge; Giles was then in state custody on unrelated matters and a hold was placed so he would be transferred to Morgan County after release. Bond was set at $500,000 and arraignment was delayed by COVID-19 restrictions. If anyone knew Pete, his habits, or saw unusual activity near Allied Metal Recovery on April 18, 2016, please share what was observed.