Madisonville, Tennessee

From the Monroe County Advocate & Democrat of July 31, 2006

Man Killed During Family Fight

A family argument that apparently simmered most of the day ended with one man dead Thursday night.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Detective Mike Morgan said Steve Wilson, 47, Old Tellico Highway, Madisonville, shot and killed Doyle Graham, 35, when Graham came to Wilson’s house just before 10:30 p.m. to continue the argument.

“We’re not really sure what got all this started,” Morgan said, “but according to witnesses and Wilson’s statement, Graham came to the house with a .38 handgun and was going to shoot Wilson, but the gun malfunctioned and wouldn’t fire.”

Wilson told Morgan that Graham didn’t lower his gun, so Wilson, fearing for his life, returned fire with a .22 pistol, striking Graham in the chest and killing him.

“Everybody in the house was related,” Morgan said. “The two men were brothers-in-law. I guess you could say it was a family fight gone horribly wrong.”

There were no charges filed in the incident, though Morgan said the case would be taken before the grand jury.

“We’re going to get all the lab work back,” Morgan said, “finish all our interviews and then let the DA’s office see what the grand jury thinks about it.”

In an odd side bar to the shooting, some methamphetamine was found close to the scene, but not at the scene.

“We did find some meth,” Morgan said. “We don’t know who it belonged to or where it came from. There’s no indication the fight was over meth or that it came from somebody at the house.”

Court records show Graham had a series of previous arrests, including one in April 1998 when he pleaded guilty to an attempted first-degree murder charge from the Madisonville Police. He was convicted of a lesser charge of aggravated assault.

He also had previous arrests for reckless endangerment and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.