A Tennessee college professor was found dead on a roadway not far from her home, with a loaded, cocked handgun discovered next to her body, authorities said.
Ashleigh E. McKinzie, 41, was located with multiple apparent gunshot wounds along Smithville Highway in DeKalb County, Tenn., according to 13th Judicial District Attorney Bryant C. Dunaway.
The shooting was reported in the early morning hours of Dec. 4. When deputies arrived, they found McKinzie’s handgun beside her.
Also at the scene was 27-year-old Todd Stanton, who had his own handgun placed on the hood of his vehicle, Dunaway said. Stanton has been cooperating with investigators.
Officials have not detailed Stanton’s relationship to the incident, only confirming that he was present when law enforcement arrived.
No charges have been filed as of yet. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office are jointly investigating the case, Dunaway said.
McKinzie was an associate professor in the sociology and anthropology department at Middle Tennessee State University.
According to WZTV, McKinzie’s academic work focused heavily on family violence.
“She had done a lot of studies into it — victims of sexual assault, victims of domestic abuse,” student Olivia Kilpatrick told the outlet.
McKinzie also taught a course titled “Violence in the Family,” the station reported.
She earned her PhD from the University of Georgia, per her profile on Middle Tennessee State University’s website.
