Funeral homes aren’t associated with the appropriate, mood-setting venue for a late-night sexual rendezvous.
But that’s what a Bluff City man allegedly claims he was embarking upon Tuesday with two women at Tetrick Funeral Home — that is, until the alarm sounded and police arrived to find him inside, bloodied and wearing only his underwear.
Though no additional suspects were located at the scene, police continue to investigate the incident.
“To be honest with you, it just floors me,” said Bluff City Police Chief David Nelson. “But when I pulled up last night there he was, standing in his drawers.”
Billy Jenkins, 29, of 301 Jenkins Hollow Road, has been arrested and charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of vandalism and resisting arrest. Nelson says Jenkins was “pretty well intoxicated” and became belligerent with responding officers.
Jenkins also claimed to have been accompanied by two women, according to Nelson, for the purpose of having sex. His clothing was located in an apartment attached to the funeral home, where he’s believed to have initially made entry.
Nelson said the residents of that connected unit were not home, and do not know Jenkins.
Tetrick Funeral Home Director Ken Arnold says another employee responded to the funeral home, 245 Main Street, when the alarm activated at approximately 11:20 p.m. He entered to see the alarm’s controls knocked off a wall, then exited to call 911.
Chief Nelson reports police arrived to find Jenkins still inside, bloody and wearing only his underwear. Both police and Arnold believe Jenkins cut himself when he knocked the alarm off the funeral home’s wall, as blood spattering led from the area to an upstairs apartment.
Police report more blood was found in the apartment, along with Jenkins clothing and shoes.
Arnold says the funeral home suffered minimal damage; a lock kicked off a door, blood stains he spent all of Wednesday morning cleaning up. He also reports having no previous run-ins or knowledge of Jenkins, and that nothing was stolen.
Arnold said he arrived at the scene shortly after Leonard’s arrest, overhearing his claims of being accompanied by two women.
“I’d rather not say what he said they were doing,” Arnold offers with a laugh.
Nelson says Jenkins was too intoxicated at the scene for police to conduct a thorough interview, adding he’ll be questioned again on Wednesday. Police continue to look into the claim that he was accompanied by two women, though investigators are also exploring the possibility he was looking for somewhere to sleep.
