Heartbreaking photo shows dog lying on his murdered owner’s freshly-dug grave: Victim, 22, was nephew of Tennessee state rep, with judge’s son, 25, arrested in connection with killing
- A heartbreaking photo posted to Twitter Monday morning shows a dog lying on top of his owner’s newly-dug grave on Sunday
- The dog owner, James William ‘Will’ Warner, was found murdered in West Nashville on Friday morning
- It was the same day his girlfriend, Gracie Perryman was shot in the head and transported to a local hospital for her injuries
- Authorities believe Warner, the nephew of a state representative, was driven to the area and shot to death, then left to die in the street
- By the time his parents received his body, it was so decomposed that the family had to scramble to bury him on Sunday
- That night, authorities announced the arrest of Samuel Earl Rich, 25, for the attempted murder of Perryman and theft
- Rich – whose dad is a judge – was being held without bail and questioned in Warner’s death, and no motive for the deadly violence has been shared
A dog was filmed laying on top of its 22 year-old owner’s fresh grave after he was brutally shot dead, with a judge’s son now arrested in connection with the killing.
The pet appeared to be mourning the loss of its owner, James William ‘Will’ Warner, who was found murdered in West Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday morning. His uncle is Tennessee State Representative Todd Warner.
Warner’s girlfriend Gracie Perryman was found shot in the head the same morning, and remains critically-ill at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Samuel Earl Rich, 25, has been arrested and charged with Perryman’s attempted murder. Rich is the son of Bedford County Judge Charles Rich.
Investigators also believe he is linked to Warner’s killing, but have not filed any charges in that case, and have yet to share a motive.
A heartbreaking photo posted on Twitter Monday shows James ‘Will’ William Warner’s dog laying on top of his grave at his funeral Sunday
The heartbreaking snap of Warner’s dog was tweeted by WKRN reporter Julia Palazzo, the dog could be seen laying on top of his owner’s freshly-dug grave.
She wrote: ‘My heart is broken after seeing this. The mother “Will” James William Warner, the Shelbyville man murdered in West Nashville, sent us this photo of her son’s dog lying atop his grave after his burial.’
Authorities believe Warner was driven to the area and shot to death, then left in the street to die. His body was found by a Metro Water crew.
By the time Warner’s parents, James Robert and Christy Warner West, received his body, the Tennessean reports, it was so badly decomposed that the family had to scramble to bury him.
‘I didn’t even get to pick the casket out,’ Christy said. ‘It was so immediate.
‘We’ve been robbed of everything,’ she added. ‘Every last ounce of closure of peace that we could possibly get from saying goodbye, we didn’t get to do.’
Warner, 22, was found fatally shot in West Nashville the same day his girlfriend was shot and critically injured
On Sunday night, agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and deputies with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office said they had nabbed Rich, 25, in connection with Warner’s death. An alert for his whereabouts had been issued by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation after the double-shooting.
Authorities arrested Samuel Earl Rich, 25, on Sunday for the attempted murder of Warner’s girlfriend, Gracie Perryman. He is being held without bail and is being questioned in Warner’s death
The TBI claims Rich shot Warner’s girlfriend in the head. A vehicle owned by either Warner or Perryman, which investigators say was stolen by Rich, was found on Friday in the Raus area of the city, the Shelbyville Times-Gazette reports, prompting a manhunt for Rich as he remained on the loose.
Rich was wanted for questioning in Warner’s murder, but had not been charged in the homicide as of Monday morning, according to Law and Crime.
He had previously been convicted of a drug offense and was sentenced to three years incarceration and probation.
He is now being held without bail.
Warner is pictured with his mother, Christy Warner West, who posted on Facebook following his death: ‘This boy stole my heart 22 years ago and today, a monster took him from me’
Warner, the nephew of Tennessee state lawmaker Todd Warner, was born on October 3, 1998, and was a ‘typical country boy,’ according to his uncle.
His family raises chickens for Tyson Foods, and he grew up helping breed cattle and growing row crops.
As a child, his mother said, Warner loved riding on four-wheelers and playing in the creek and mud.
‘Every second I stayed with Will was a joy,’ she told the Tennessean. ‘He was just larger than life. He was just a good boy.
‘He was so personable,’ she added, telling WKRN he ‘never met a stranger.’
Warner also enjoyed hunting, especially turkeys, and would often dress up in camouflage and show off his fresh game on Facebook.
‘He loved life and loved people,’ Todd Warner said. ‘It’s just a tragic ending to something that should’ve never happened.’
His family said they suspected something was wrong when Warner did not check in Friday morning.
‘It was like I had an out-of-body experience,’ she told the Tennessean. ‘I just collapsed. My whole world was broken into a million pieces.
That day, she wrote on Facebook: ‘This boy stole my heart 22 years ago and today, a monster took him from me.
Warner is the nephew of Tennessee State Representative Todd Warner, pictured
Shooting suspect Samuel Earl Rich’s father is local Judge Charles Richards, pictured
‘Please pray that he pays for the cruel crime he’s committed.’
Following Warner’s funeral on Sunday, Christy also wrote: ‘We laid Will to rest this afternoon due to extreme circumstances.
‘This was not the plan, but it was necessary.’
Following the news, Warner’s friend, Misha Smith, also wrote: ‘This is so hard to process.
‘God brings people in your life for reasons and I believe His reasoning for bringing these two in my life was to show me what true friendship is.
‘Anything I had, they could have and it was most definitely the same way around.
‘They made me feel like family. I couldn’t ask for better friends.
‘And it hurts me that my friendship with Will had to end so early like this.
‘You didn’t deserve this at all.
‘Your heart was too pure.
‘You were too real and the most funniest person I had ever met. You always wanted to keep a smile on everyone’s face.
‘I love and miss you dude.’
Warner liked to play in the creek near his home. He is pictured here with his dog
Warner was dating Gracie Perryman, who was shot in the head and fatally wounded Friday
She was taken to a hospital in Nashville for serious injuries
Their friend Misha Smith described the couple as true friends who were very kind
Warner was buried on Sunday as his body had already begun to decompose
She then turned her attention to Perryman, writing: ‘You didn’t deserve this either, baby girl.
‘I’m so sorry for all of this.
‘I wish I could do something and take all your pain away.
‘You are too kind. You got this, and you will get through this. You are strong. The strongest. I know it.
‘Justice will come,’ she added. ‘It’s all in God’s hands.’
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