Updated: 11/15/2009 2:02:51 AM
A Nashville murder suspect is dead after he jumped from a third-floor hotel balcony to avoid being arrested by Knoxville Police and U.S. Marshals.
50-year-old William Troope was wanted for the murder of 46-year-old Wendy McKinney of Dickson, Tenn. She was found dead in a hotel room in Bellevue on Wednesday afternoon.
A Knoxville Police spokesman said cell phone signals indicated 50-year-old William Troope was in West Knoxville, near the West Town Mall area.
Two KPD officers searched the area and found Troope's 1991 green Crown Victoria at the Ramada Inn at 7737 Kingston Pike around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
KPD and U.S. Marshals verified the warrant with Nashville, then moved into Troope's hotel room to serve the warrant.
As they entered the room, Troope jumped from the third floor balcony to the ground below. A KPD officer on the ground witnessed the incident. Troope was transported to UT Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Murder of McKinney
WSMV, the NBC affiliate in Nashville, reports that Troope and McKinney were in a relationship and had a history of domestic trouble. Troope was arrested on Aug. 5 for domestic violence against McKinney.
Nashville Metro Police investigators determined McKinney had been beaten to death and likely died from extensive head trauma.
A maid at a Bellevue Hampton Inn discovered McKinney's body inside the bathroom of a hotel room booked under Troope's first and middle name.
Police said Troope and McKinney checked into the hotel room Monday night. McKinney's family filed a missing person's report on Tuesday.
Troope was caught on surveillance tape leaving the hotel around midnight Tuesday. Nashville Police said at one point Troope came back to the hotel and sat in his car. He then returned again briefly to retrieve his belongings.
