There are still no charges after an ongoing dispute ended with a deadly confrontation.
Jason Howard, 36, died Sunday of gunshot wounds at Athens Regional Medical Center, after an argument and shootout with Jason Watson. Investigators say Howard went to Watson's residence armed with a rifle, and Watson produced a small caliber handgun. When several shots were fired by both men, Howard was hit.
Sheriff Joe Guy says it appears the two had been in an ongoing dispute for several weeks. No previous reports about the dispute had been reported to the Sheriff's Office or 911.
"An autopsy was conducted on Mr. Howard yesterday at UT Medical Center," said Sheriff Joe Guy. "Once we have those results, we will consult further with the DA's office about possibly taking the case to the July session of the McMinn County Grand Jury. Other evidence has been sent to the TBI Crime Lab."
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The McMinn County Sheriff is investigating an argument and shooting that took a deadly turn.
According to Sheriff Joe Guy, 36-year-old Jason Howard of County Road 52 near Riceville died Sunday at Athens Regional Medical Center from gunshots wounds.
Authorities say Howard was involved in a disagreement with 39-year-old Jason Watson. Sunday morning, Howard and Jennifer Elaine White, 35, of Englewood drove to Watson's home on County Road 258 near Athens. Investigators say both men then opened fire.
The Sheriff's Department says dispatchers received a call about a shooting victim around 12:35 p.m. Sunday. White drove the injured Howard to meet emergency responders in a nearby parking lot.
Howard was transported by ambulance to Athens Regional Medical Center, where he died from his wounds just before 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
In a media release, Sheriff Guy says, "The dispute between the two men seems to have been ongoing for several weeks, apparently escalating to this shooting. My officers are on the scene now, and we will conduct a full investigation. Mr. Watson is certainly a person of interest at this point."
The Sheriff says it is believed Howard was shot several times with a handgun. A rifle was also found in the vehicle driven by White and Howard.
The investigation is ongoing.