Chattanooga police, DA seek help solving 2020 shooting deaths of 2 senior citizens
Chattanooga police and the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office are asking the public for help in solving two December shootings that left two senior citizens dead.
With the help of Crime Stoppers and an anonymous donor, officials are offering up to $14,100 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of “the individuals responsible for these two heinous actions,”
District Attorney Neal Pinkston said at a news conference Wednesday.
The two victims — Gloria Hill, 66, and Russell Paris, 61, both grandparents and unrelated — were two of three people killed within 24 hours between Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
“You didn’t have just two lives lost in this neighborhood,” Chattanooga police Chief David Roddy said. “You had two families that lost a loved one. You had two families that lost a [grandparent]. You had an individual that had dedicated her life to improving the lives of children in an area school. You had two lights snubbed out.”
A suspect in the Nov. 30 shooting that killed 38-year-old Timothy Taylor — Jaylon Hill, who is related to Gloria Hill — was arrested at the scene of the Gloria Hill homicide.
Both Taylor and Gloria Hill were killed at the same address — Gloria Hill’s home — in the 1700 block of South Willow Street.
But police could not say Wednesday whether all three shootings were connected, though they didn’t rule out Gloria Hill and Paris’ killings being connected.
“There’s always that possibility,” Roddy said. “We do not have any information that I’m aware of that connects [those] two deliberately, but understanding the proximity of the two crimes, understanding that they occurred in the same dates, it’s not something that we can count out at this point. And that’s why we’re hopeful that more information will come forward that will either let us know they are [connected] or close out that they are not.”
“Senior citizens are some of our most vulnerable population,” Pinkston said. “Chief Roddy and myself, as well as the investigators on this case, feel that people within this neighborhood have information that can lead to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for these awful acts.”
On Nov. 30, shortly after 9 p.m., a witness told police Taylor had gone to Gloria Hill’s home in the 1700 block of South Willow Street to collect some money from a man named “Stew.” Once he got there, a man later identified as Jaylon Hill approached the vehicle and reportedly shot Taylor as he was backing out of the driveway.
Nearly six hours later at 2:40 a.m. on Dec. 1, police were called to Paris’ home in the 1700 block of South Kelly Street. They found him with a gunshot wound, and he was rushed to a local hospital. But he died shortly thereafter.
Paris had been outside with his dog when he was shot, and eyewitnesses described a gray Dodge Charger leaving the scene.
By 6:10 p.m. that same day, police were again called to Gloria Hill’s home on South Willow Street. They found Gloria Hill with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
While police were at the scene, Jaylon Hill approached them and asked what was going on. That’s when police recognized him as the suspect in the Taylor shooting the night before and quickly took him into custody.
“Due to the time frame, location and nature of the incident, investigators believe someone within the community may have information regarding the suspect or possess other information that is pertinent to the case,” district attorney spokesperson Bruce Garner said in a news release.
“We believe that this community is ready to come forward and help us find the individuals that did this — find the individuals that committed this act of violence and harmed these families, this community, this city,” Roddy said.
“No matter how minute that detail may be, no matter how small that fact people may rationalize away as not important, I promise you, I promise [the] community, it is important,” he added. “So we do need the community to come forward with whatever little pieces of information they may have that occurred or that they witnessed on Dec. 1, 2020.”
“Investigators could have this whole story complete but for one fact that they’re unaware of,” Pinkston said. “And while someone may think that [detail] seems insignificant, it can be greatly significant … it completes the story, it completes the picture, and allows a charging decision to go forward.
“Optimistically, I hope we have to pull in people for overtime for the amount of support and connections that the community gives us,” Roddy said.