Steven Curtis Waln, 59, was found dead in the Hamilton Creek Recreation Area off Bell Road in Nashville on December 8, 2024. The body showed an apparent gunshot wound, and the Metro Nashville Police Department opened a homicide investigation.

Waln, a resident of Largo, Florida, and an employee at the Harpeth Hotel in downtown Franklin, Tennessee, had been reported missing in Franklin on December 9, 2024, a day after his body was discovered. He was born March 3, 1965, and is described as a White/Caucasian man. Family and colleagues remembered him as a devoted Christian who enjoyed exploring Florida, water skiing, and cooking; his employer closed a hotel pop-up early so staff could mourn.

No suspects or arrests have been publicly identified and the investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers or Metro Nashville Police.