Nicole Nikki Stewart Fanney, 49, was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds in her West Knoxville apartment on Atchley Ridge Way on the evening of April 25, 2024. Knoxville Police pronounced her dead at the scene and described the incident as a domestic-related homicide.

Authorities identified 49-year-old Michael Merrick, who was in a relationship with Fanney and shared the apartment, as a suspect. Merrick fled before officers arrived and was later stopped in Whitley County, Kentucky, that same night on a DUI call; deputies learned he was wanted in connection with Fanney’s death. A warrant charged him with second-degree murder, and he was held at the Whitley County Detention Center pending extradition back to Knoxville.

Court filings by September 2024 showed Merrick had been indicted on second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and unlawful possession of a weapon, with prosecutors alleging an argument preceded the shooting and that Fanney was shot 13 times. Does anyone have information about Fanney’s life in West Knoxville or about that apartment complex that could help fill gaps in the timeline?