All those times Cookeville made national news...
“Low Tax” Looper
Byron “Low Tax” Looper killed his election opponent, incumbent Tennessee State Senator Tommy Burks. Sentenced to prison, Low Tax assaulted a pregnant female counselor and had to be restrained. He was found dead in his cell two hours later, and his death was attributed to a combination of heart disease and a toxic level of anti-depressants.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Looper
Cookeville police pull over vacationing family from out of state and shoot their waggle-tailed dog, Patton.
“In no way did the dog indicate anything other than he came out with his whole body speaking, ‘hello, what’s going on?” Pamela Smoak said on ABCNEWS’ Good Moning America.
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=125436&page=1
Tommy Burks’ widow, Charlotte, elected to the Tennessee legislature in his stead, sponsored a bill to ban the sale of dildos. Despite nationwide ridicule, local gossip had it that she introduced the bill for a donor who gave her a bunch of money.
Operation Tarnished Shield: Cookeville cops ran a drug ring and got busted by the FBI
“Jones and Middlebrook assisted in the transportation of the drugs and drug money as well as recruited local law enforcement officers to transport thousands of dollars believed to be proceeds of illegal drugs. Middlebrook also laundered $650,000 in purported drug proceeds after Middlebrook, Martin and Williamson transported the cocaine. Scott, holding himself out as a deputy jailor with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, transported $50,000 in purported illegal proceeds from Nashville to Cookeville. He told undercover agents he was still an active deputy and wore his sheriff’s department jacket to the meeting.
“After an undercover investigation by federal and state authorities that lasted almost three years, four law enforcement officials, which includes one former White County deputy, as well as four civilians, were arrested for charges ranging from distributing cocaine to money laundering.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Tarnished_Shield
...And of course, the recent anti-drag demonstration, which saw an actual nazi flag. I’m sure I’m forgetting about other events, if anyone recalls any. Sadly, Murder Mart probably never made national news, but you can read about it here: https://www.reddit.com/r/cookeville/comments/lgykxx/the_murder_mart/gmv68x4/
We also occasionally make news when local cops go into a frenzy of busts based around Bonaroo. The Herald-Citizen even ran a story that was basically just cops drooling over the prospect of all the people they were going to take to jail that weekend.
Posted Mar 11, 2023, 1:41 AM UTC