Chico Donaldson 22, Msg 05/01/09, Jackson TN [BODY FOUND]

[sarahhod]

Man found dead in home after police standoff

Man found dead in home from apparent suicide

By MARIANN MARTIN
mmartin10@jacksonsun.com
• May 6, 2009


A five-hour standoff ended Tuesday night after Jackson police found a man dead inside his home.

Thomas Cupples, 39, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound around 9:15 p.m. inside a house on Grove Avenue, Jackson Police Chief Rick Staples said.
Police went to the yellow wood frame house around 4 p.m., and a standoff developed after no one responded to knocks on the door.
Staples said authorities believe Cupples was involved in the disappearance of Chico Donaldson, 22.
"We have reason to believe Donaldson is the victim of foul play," Staples said earlier Tuesday. "We do not know his whereabouts."
Police blocked off portions of Chester Levee Road near the road's intersection with Grove Avenue, and EMS vehicles were on standby late Tuesday. Members of the special operations division responded to the scene, and the police helicopter circled the area for several hours.
Staples said Donaldson's grandmother reported him missing on Saturday. His mother filed a missing persons report on Monday.
Police began searching for Donaldson on Monday. They spoke to his wife, who said she had last seen Donaldson around 2 p.m. Friday, Staples said.
Police attention shifted to Cupples late Tuesday afternoon after a phone call to police.
Staples said Cupples called a friend who is a police officer about 4 p.m. Tuesday and told the officer he had gotten into an altercation with Donaldson "that went bad" and that he wasn't going to jail for it.
Staples said Cupples also called his estranged wife and children and told them good-bye and said he wasn't coming out of the house.
Jackson police arrived at the house shortly after 4 p.m. but were not able to make contact with Cupples.
A TACT team dressed in green fatigues and carrying assault rifles surrounded the house for more than three hours as officers tried to determine if Cupples was in the house.
Negotiators tried to make contact with Cupples, breaking several windows to throw a phone into the home. Officers also used a spotlight to try to see into the house.
Police entered the house shortly after 9 p.m. and found Cupples inside. Staples said authorities believe Cupples was dead before police arrived.
Staples said police do not have any more information about Donaldson or his location late Tuesday.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090506/NEWS01/905060316

[sarahhod]

Man admitted to murder in a note left behind after suicide

Note also gave location of where victim's body could be found

May 6, 2009


Thomas Cupples, 39, of Jackson, wrote a note saying that he killed Chico Donaldson and where police could find the body before ending his own life Tuesday night, according to the Jackson Police Department. Police are now investigating whether or not Cupples acted alone in Donaldson's homicide.
A body has been recovered and is in Nashville for autopsy and police are waiting for verification of the identity and the manner of death, the release said.
Cupples' note was found after police entered his house on Grove Avenue Tuesday night.
Cupples was found in a back bedroom dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after a police five-hour police standoff.
The release said Cupples had been questioned by investigators around noon Tuesday and said he had no involvement in Donaldson's disappearance.
He later called a Jackson police officer, who he is personal friends with, around 4 p.m. Tuesday, and told the officer he had gotten into an altercation with Donaldson "that went bad" and that he wasn't going to jail for it. He also made statements to other friends and family members that he was involved.
Jackson police arrived at the house shortly after 4 p.m. but were not able to make contact with Cupples.
Police entered the house shortly after 9 p.m. and found Cupples inside. Staples said authorities believe Cupples was dead before police arrived.
The release said Cupples left a note implicating himself in the Donaldson's homicide and where he had left Donaldson's body.
Donaldson was reported missing by his family on Saturday and Monday.
Investigators went to a house in the 7000 block of State Route 100 East in Jacks Creek where Cupples' note directed that the body could be found, the release said. With the assistance of the Chester County Sheriff's Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, a body was found wrapped in a tarp about .2 miles east behind the house in a wooded area.
Sgt. Tyreece Miller said the house belongs to an acquaintance of Cupples.
Police are also looking for Donaldson's vehicle, a 2002 green Ford Explorer, 4-door, with running boards and a temporary license plate, the release said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at the Jackson
Police Department at 425-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 424-8477.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090506/NEWS01/90506025

[sarahhod]

Suicide letter confesses to slaying, tells location of body in Chester Co.

By TYRONE TONY REED JR.
ttreed@jacksonsun.com
• May 7, 2009


Thomas Cupples wrote a note before ending his own life Tuesday that said he killed Chico Donaldson and where police could find Donaldson's body, according to the Jackson Police Department.

Authorities have recovered a body in Chester County and sent it to Nashville for an autopsy. Police are waiting for verification of the identity and the manner of death, a news release said.
If the body is determined to be Donaldson's, police are still investigating whether Cupples, 39, of Jackson, acted alone in his slaying.
Police found Cupples dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a back bedroom of his home after a five-hour standoff with officers Tuesday night. Cupples' note was found after police entered his house on Grove Avenue.
Investigators went to a house in the 7000 block of Tenn. 100 East in Jacks Creek where Cupples' note said that the body of Donaldson could be found, the news release said.
With the help of the Chester County Sheriff's Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, investigators found a body wrapped in a tarp behind the house in a wooded area.
Jackson police Sgt. Tyreece Miller on Wednesday said the house belongs to an acquaintance of Cupples.
Police also are looking for Donaldson's sport utility vehicle, a four-door, 2002 green Ford Explorer, with running boards and a temporary license plate, the release said.
Miller said Cupples had a criminal record in Jackson. He was arrested on charges of aggravated burglary in September 1989 and May 1990 and on a charge of simple assault in January 1993.
Donaldson, 22, did not have a criminal record in Jackson, Miller said.
When asked how Cupples and Donaldson knew each other, Miller would only say that "Cupples and Donaldson's wife worked together at Apria Healthcare. Donaldson worked at Touchstone."
Chief Rick Staples added, "We have reason to believe that there were relationship problems between the victim (Donaldson) and his wife."
Police began looking for Donaldson on Monday after he was reported missing by his family, Miller said. Family members told police they hadn't seen or heard from Donaldson since April 30.
The release said Cupples had been questioned by investigators around noon Tuesday and that he said he had no involvement in Donaldson's disappearance.
Cupples later called a Jackson police officer, who he was friends with, and told the officer he had gotten into an altercation with Donaldson "that went bad" and that he wasn't going to jail for it, police have said.
Cupples also made statements to other friends and family members that he was involved in the slaying, the release said.
Jackson police arrived at the house on Grove Avenue shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday but were not able to make contact with Cupples.
Police entered the house shortly after 9 p.m. and found Cupples dead inside.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at the Jackson Police Department at 425-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 424-8477.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090507/NEWS01/905070312

[sarahhod]

Wife of missing man charged with evidence tampering, false report

The Jackson Sun
• May 7, 2009

http://cmsimg.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DQ&Date=20090507&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=90507036&Ref=AR&MaxW=180&Border=0 (http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?template=zoom&Site=DQ&Date=20090507&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=90507036&Ref=AR)
Donaldson


Jackson police have charged Molly Donaldson, 22, of Jackson, with tampering with evidence and filing a false report in the disappearance of her husband.
She will be formally arraigned in Jackson City Court at 8 a.m. Friday.
As police investigated the disappearance of Chico Donaldson, his wife, Molly Donaldson, was interviewed Tuesday, according to a news release from Jackson police. She was questioned specifically about the absence of carpet in her living room. She gave investigators a statement that she, Thomas Cupples, and another Jackson woman had removed carpet from the living room of her home, at 223 N. Tennessee St., and discarded it in a dumpster on Harts Bridge Road.
Investigators checked the dumpster but did not find the carpet.
Later that day, police investigated the suicide of Thomas Cupples at his home on Grove Avenue. Police discovered a note left by Cupples that led them to a body. The note indicated that the body was that of Chico Donaldson.
The body, along with burned sections of carpet, was found on the property at 7760 Tenn. 100 E. in Jacks Creek.
Police have determined that Molly Donaldson, Cupples, and the other Jackson woman transported the carpet from 223 N. Tennessee St. and placed it on the property in Jacks Creek, and that Molly Donaldson was told by Cupples to lie about the location of the carpet if she was asked.
Police have received presumptive positive tests for blood throughout the house at 223 N. Tennessee St.
Police continue to await verification of identity on the body from the State Medical Examiner's Office in Nashville.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090507/NEWS01/90507036

[sarahhod]

Missing man's wife in custody

Woman charged with tampering with evidence, filing false report

By MARIANN MARTIN
mmartin10@jacksonsun.com
• May 8, 2009

http://cmsimg.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DQ&Date=20090508&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=905080322&Ref=AR&MaxW=180&Border=0 (http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?template=zoom&Site=DQ&Date=20090508&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=905080322&Ref=AR)
Donaldson


The wife of a Jackson man who is believed dead has been charged with tampering with evidence and filing a false police report in his disappearance.

Molly Donaldson, 22, will be arraigned at 8 a.m. today in Jackson City Court, according to a news release from the Jackson Police Department.
Thomas Cupples, 39, of Jackson, wrote that he killed Chico Donaldson, 22, in a note Cupples left in his home Tuesday. Police found Cupples dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a back bedroom of his home after a five-hour standoff with officers Tuesday night. Cupples' note was found after police entered his house on Grove Avenue. The note also told police where to find Donaldson's body; the body has been recovered but not yet positively identified.
Police had questioned Molly Donaldson on Tuesday about the disappearance of her husband, asking her about the absence of carpet in her living room, according to the Thursday news release.
She told investigators that she, Cupples and another Jackson woman had removed carpet from the living room and discarded it in a dumpster on Harts Bridge Road. Investigators checked the dumpster but did not find the carpet.
Instead, investigators found burned sections of carpet near the body they recovered by following Cupples' directions.
In the note Cupples left, he said Donaldson's body could be found in the 7000 block of Tenn. 100 East in Jacks Creek. Investigators found the body wrapped in a tarp behind the house in a wooded area.
The body has been sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Nashville. Sgt. Tyreece Miller said Thursday night police have been told that they will get identification verification of the body today .
Police believe Molly Donaldson and the other woman, whom police have not named, helped Cupples to remove the carpet from the Donaldsons' living room, in the 200 block of North Tennessee Street, the news release said.
Cupples told Molly Donaldson to lie about the location of the carpet if she was asked, the release said.

Police have received presumptive positive tests for blood throughout the Donaldsons' house.
Police began looking for Chico Donaldson on Monday after he was reported missing by his family. Family members told police they hadn't seen or heard from Donaldson since April 30.
Cupples was questioned by investigators around noon Tuesday and he said he had no involvement in Donaldson's disappearance, police have said.
Cupples later called a Jackson police officer, who he was friends with, and told the officer he had gotten into an altercation with Donaldson "that went bad" and that he wasn't going to jail for it, police have said.
He also told the officer, "The girls had nothing to do with it."
Chief Rick Staples has said police believe there were relationship problems between Chico and Molly Donaldson.
Authorities have declined to comment on the relationship between Cupples and the Donaldsons, except to say that Cupples and Molly Donaldson worked together at Apria Healthcare.
When asked whether police anticipate additional charges against Molly Donaldson, Miller said the investigation is ongoing.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090508/NEWS01/905080322

[annalyzer]

Case against slain man's wife sent to grand jury

May 14, 2009

A Jackson woman accused of tampering with evidence in the death of her husband has had her case sent to the grand jury after waiving her right to a preliminary hearing today.

Molly Donaldson, 22, appeared briefly in Jackson City Court this morning. She is being held on $50,000 bond on charges of tampering with evidence and filing a false police report.

Chico Donaldson, 22, was reported missing by family members May 4, after being missing since April 30. His body was recovered by police in Jacks Creek on May 6. Police said he died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Thomas Cupples, 39, of Jackson, wrote a note to police saying he killed Donaldson, 22, after an altercation.

Police found Thomas Cupples dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a back bedroom of his home after a five-hour standoff with officers May 5.

The note also told police where to find Donaldson's body.

Molly Donaldson was arrested and charged May 7.

Police have said she helped Cupples and another friend, Denise Canada, remove the carpet from her living room and take it to the Jacks Creek property where Chico Donaldson's body was found.

Police investigators said today their investigation continues and there may be additional charges filed.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090514/NEWS01/90514022/1002/rss

[annalyzer]

Donaldson, Chico Dean

Chico Dean Donaldson


Jackson, TN - Memorial services for Chico Dean Donaldson, 22, will be held at 6:00 P.M. Friday May 15, 2009 at Gospel Assembly Church on Chester Levee Rd. with Bro. Cletus Benfield officiating. Visitation will be ongoing from 5:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. at the church.

Mr. Donaldson was born in Jackson, TN and attended local schools. He was an employee of Young Touchtone.

He leaves wife, Molly Donaldson of Jackson; a son, Levi Dean Donaldson of Jackson; his mother and step father, Charlotte Morales of Jackson and Stephen Hayes of Brownsville; his father and step mother, Dean Donaldson and Charmaine of Iuka, MS; a sister, Christy Castro of Newbern, TN; step brothers and sisters, Corey Cameron, Lynnette Cameron, Megan Waldrup and Jeremy Waldrup; five nieces; three nephews; his grandparents, Roberta Bartley Donaldson of Jackson; Patricia and Howard Hayes of Darden, TN and Cloyce "Sonny" Neal of Pinson, TN and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions be made to an account set up for his son, Levi Dean Donaldson at: Bancorp South, 1434 South Highland Avenue, Jackson, TN 38301. Attention: Becky - 422-9311.

Lawrence - Sorensen

Funeral Home

731-424-2424

This obituary was published in the Jackson Sun on May 13, 2009.



http://data.tennessean.com/obits/jackson/index.php?m=dtl&pro=Js0101109446-01

[Nut44x4]

Wife indicted in husband's April slaying

September 1, 2009

The wife of Chico Donaldson has been indicted on an additional charge related to his slaying in April.

Police also said Monday that Molly Donaldson was in a relationship with Thomas Cupples. Cupples, who committed suicide during a standoff with police in May, wrote a note saying he killed Chico Donaldson, police have said.

A Madison County grand jury indicted Molly Donaldson, 22, of Jackson, on a charge of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder Monday, according to a news release from the Jackson Police Department.

She previously had been charged with tampering with evidence and filing a false report. She also was indicted on those charges Monday.

Police have said Molly Donaldson helped Cupples and another friend, Denise Canada, remove the carpet from the Donaldsons' living room and take it to the Jacks Creek property where Chico Donaldson's body was found. Canada has not been charged.

Police said Chico Donaldson, 22, died from multiple gunshot wounds at the Donaldsons' home on Tennessee Street. Family members reported him missing May 4, after they hadn't seen or heard from him since April 30.

Police found Cupples, 39, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a back bedroom of his home after a five-hour standoff with officers May 5.

In his note, Cupples wrote that he killed Donaldson after an altercation, police have said. The note also told police where to find Donaldson's body. Police recovered his body May 6.

Molly Donaldson was arrested May 7.

Lt. Tyreece Miller said Monday that the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed. He declined to comment on what those charges might be.

Investigators have determined Molly Donaldson and Cupples were lovers, Miller said.

He declined to comment on whether their relationship was the reason Chico Donaldson was killed.

Miller said police still believe Cupples was responsible for Donaldson's death, but that Molly Donaldson provided Cupples with the means of avoiding arrest after the homicide by providing false statements to police and disposing of evidence.

The charge of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder is a Class E felony and carries a possible sentence of one to six years, Miller said.

Molly Donaldson remains in custody at the Madison County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond. She will be arraigned in Circuit Court on Sept. 8.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090901/NEWS01/909010309

[Faith]

Woman arraigned in death of husband; bond $500K

• November 9, 2009

A Madison County woman accused of participating in the murder of her husband and romantically linked with a man who said he killed her husband, appeared in court this morning.

Molly Donaldson, 22, was arraigned in Madison County Circuit Court in the Criminal Justice Complex. Donaldson was indicted last week on a first-degree murder charge in the death of her husband, Chico Donaldson. She already faced charges of tampering with evidence and filing a false report in the slaying of her husband.

Her lawyer, Danny Ellis, asked for a reduction in her bond to $50,000, saying it was a reasonable amount.

Judge Roger Page set Molly Donaldson's bond for $500,000 and set the trial date for Jan. 27. Donaldson's next court appearance will be Dec. 15.

Assistant District Attorney Ben Mayo asked for the $500,000 bond. He said because she is charged with murder, Donaldson is a high flight risk. He also said Donaldson lied to investigators and her statement doesn't match that of Thomas Cupples, 39, the man Donaldson was romantically involved with.

Cupples was found dead May 5 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a back bedroom of his home after a five-hour standoff with officers. He left a note telling police he had killed Chico Donaldson and where to find the body, according to previous police statements.

Chico Donaldson died from multiple gunshot wounds at the couple's home on Tennessee Street, according to the police. Family members reported him missing May 4 after they hadn't seen or heard from him since April 30. Authorities recovered his body May 6.

Ellis said Cupples' confession states he was the one who killed Chico Donaldson and that he never mentioned Molly Donaldson being involved. Ellis also said there was no physical evidence that she was present at the scene of the crime or involved in any way.

Mayo said the state has 10 to 15 new witnesses on the first-degree murder indictment who are willing to testify.

Ellis said he plans to file a motion compelling the police to talk to him about the case. He said investigators have refused to meet with him. He plans to file the motion by the end of the week.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20091109/NEWS01/91109012/Woman+arraigned+in+death+of+husband++bond++500K

[Faith]

Molly Donaldson charged in death of her husband

http://cmsimg.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DQ&Date=20091104&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=911040306&Ref=AR&MaxW=180&Border=0

After months of investigation by police, a Jackson woman has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the slaying of her husband.

Molly Donaldson, 22, was already facing charges of tampering with evidence and filing a false report in the slaying of her husband, Chico Donaldson, 22. She had been released on a $50,000 bond on those charges.

"We looked at evidence we already had, and in conjunction with new evidence, we presented the case to the attorney general's office," police Lt. Tyreece Miller said on Tuesday. "This is just one step in the process; it is still an ongoing investigation."

Molly Donaldson was arrested around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at a house in the 900 block of Sanford Street in Henderson and taken to the Madison County Jail. She will be arraigned in Madison County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

Danny Ellis, Molly Donaldson's lawyer, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Police have said Chico Donaldson died from multiple gunshot wounds at the Donaldsons' home on Tennessee Street. Family members reported him missing May 4 after they hadn't seen or heard from him since April 30. Authorities recovered his body May 6.

On May 5, police found Thomas Cupples, 39, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in a back bedroom of his home after a five-hour standoff with officers. In a note, Cupples wrote that he killed Chico Donaldson after an altercation, police have said.

The note also told police where to find Donaldson's body.

Investigators have determined Molly Donaldson and Cupples were lovers, police said. Officials have declined to comment on whether the relationship was the reason Chico Donaldson was killed.

According to the news release, the police investigation showed that "Molly Donaldson was present and participated in the premeditated murder of her husband, Chico Donaldson."

Before his death, Cupples had told a Jackson police officer he had gotten into an altercation with Donaldson "that went bad" and that he wasn't going to jail for it, police have said.

He also told the officer, "The girls had nothing to do with it."

"Just because Thomas Cupples claimed responsibility, we never stopped investigating the case to see if anyone else was responsible," Miller said.

Chico Donaldson's family has described him as a hard worker and a devoted father to his 4-year-old son. His mother, Charlotte Morales, said on Tuesday that the family's lawyer asked them not to comment on the case.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20091104/NEWS01/911040306