By Michael R. Moser / mmoser@crossville-chronicle.com
Two Sparta area men have been arrested and are now charged with killing a western Cumberland County man in what authorities are alleging was a robbery that went bad, according to a press release issued by the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department Tuesday morning.
Michael Kyle Whicher, 23, and Timothy Shawn Rutherford, 27, are both charged with felony murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery. Both are being held in the Cumberland County Justice Center pending an appearance in General Sessions Court.
Authorities also identified the manner of death of Henry Malcolm Frazier, age 63 of 317 Old Ridge Rd., as multiple stab wounds. Frazier's body was discovered outside his home on the morning of June 23.
Monday investigators indicated that they had not identified suspects in the case and were still busy processing forensic evidence and drawing up a list of persons of interest to interview. Apparently a break in the case came sometime Monday afternoon and the pair were arrested Tuesday morning. It is not known if either suspect is cooperating with investigators in the investigation.
In addition to the Cumberland and White County sheriff's departments, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol's Critical Incident Response Team, state forensic lab and state medical examiner's office are working on the case.
