James Conn
TBI: Man arrested after Robertson Co. deputy found shot, dead inside burning home
By Rachel Wegner and Natalie Neysa Alund
The Tennessean
A man arrested after an hours-long standoff in Smyrna was wanted in connection with the death of a Robertson County Sheriff's Office deputy, officials reported.
Deputy Savanna Puckett was found dead with a gunshot wound inside her burning home in Springfield Sunday night, the sheriff's office said in a news release. She was 22.
The standoff ended around 11:30 a.m. Monday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported. The standoff was on Odom Court in Smyrna and stemmed from the execution of a search warrant, TBI said.
Officials did not release any information about the man arrested or his relationship to Puckett.
"The investigation remains active and ongoing, and we'll provide more details as soon as we're able to do so," TBI said in a tweet.
Another deputy went to check on Puckett around 5 p.m. Sunday when she did not report for her shift and found her home in the 5100 block of Highway 41 in Springfield engulfed in flames, the release said. The deputy was not able to make it inside due to the extent of the fire. Once firefighters arrived, they found Puckett inside.
She was a four-year veteran on the force, according to the release. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed it is investigating the fire and Puckett's death.
“Words cannot express the sadness and grief that Savanna’s family and her Sheriff’s Office family are facing right now," Sheriff Michael Van Dyke said in the release. "This is a tragedy that we are processing minute by minute.
Please keep Savanna, her family and the Sheriff’s Office in your thoughts and prayers."
It was not immediately clear if the gunshot wound or the fire caused Puckett's death.
The cause and origin of the fire remained under investigation Monday.
'A mother hen'
"We are all heartbroken and working to lay Deputy Puckett to rest," Robertson County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Jessica Drake said.
The sheriff's office released the following statement Monday afternoon:
"Patrol Deputy Savanna Puckett is a great loss to all of us here at the Sheriff’s Office. We will grieve her death today, tomorrow, and many days to come. Savanna started her career at the Sheriff’s Office as a Corrections Officer in December of 2017 at the age of 18 and was promoted to Booking Officer in the Detention Facility in November of 2018. Savanna had aspirations of advancing her career to the Patrol Division and made that dream a reality when she was promoted to Patrol Deputy in May 2020, and officially graduated from Walter State Law Enforcement Academy in September 2020. In the 4 years that Savanna was with the Sheriff’s Office, she touched the lives of everyone. Savanna was the one who always showed up early to her shift with a smile on her face. She was hardworking and cared deeply for each and every person here. She was a mother hen to us all and frequently cooked meals and baked goodies for her shift. She was tough, courageous, kind, compassionate, and had an infectious personality that will always be remembered."
Sheriff: Escort of Puckett's body planned for afternoon
Puckett's body will be escorted along Highway 41 South through Ridgetop, Greenbier and Springfield this afternoon, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post.
The escort will end at Springfield Memorial Gardens around 2:30 p.m.
"All intersections will be blocked when the escort comes through," the post said. "Thank you to anyone who wants to pull over and pay their respects to Deputy Puckett."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/new...me/6633848001/
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