Terrese Patterson

In the pre-dawn hours of March 13, 2023, the life of Terrese Patterson, a 47-year-old Black man, was ended by a single gunshot inside his East Nashville home. Patterson lived with other residents at the house, located at 1020 Lischey Avenue. That morning, he was spending time with an acquaintance in an upstairs room.

Around 3:45 a.m., others in the home heard a gunshot. The man who had been visiting Patterson, later identified as 52-year-old James Alex Harris, was seen fleeing the residence through the front door. First responders found Patterson upstairs, suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest. He was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, but he did not survive his injury.

Homicide Unit detectives with the Metro Nashville Police Department immediately began pursuing leads. They identified Harris as the suspect, and a warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of criminal homicide. Two days later, on the evening of March 15, 2023, Harris contacted detectives from the police department's TITANS unit to arrange his surrender. He turned himself in at police headquarters and was booked for the death of Terrese Patterson.

The case against James Alex Harris proceeded to a murder trial in February 2026. Harris waived his right to an attorney and chose to represent himself before the jury. He claimed he had acted in self-defense, alleging that Patterson had pulled a knife and that he had only aimed for Patterson’s shoulder to stop an attack. Harris accused the state of editing witness statements and told the court, "I have nothing to hide from you today." Following the trial, the jury convicted Harris for the murder of Terrese Patterson.