Top 5 Most Mysterious Murders in Nashville History
Cases gone cold, suspects gone silent, and questions still unanswered.
Nashville’s known for its music, but its history carries a darker tune. These are real cases that shook the city — murders steeped in mystery, riddled with questions, and in some cases, still unsolved. While they may not get the tourist spotlight, these stories remain some of the most chilling in Music City history.
1. Kevin Hughes – The Country Chart Whistleblower Music Row Murder
📍Music Row Nashville, 1989
Keywords: Kevin Hughes murder, Nashville country music murder, Billboard chart fraud
In 1989, Kevin Hughes, a 23-year-old researcher for Cash Box magazine (a rival to Billboard), was shot five times in a North Nashville parking lot while walking with a friend. Kevin had reportedly been investigating corruption within the music charts — namely, that certain chart positions could be bought.
The twist? It took 13 years for the murder to be solved. In 2003, a former record promoter named Richard D’Antonio was convicted of the murder. Authorities believe Kevin was killed to silence him from exposing a rigged system.
Why it matters: It’s one of the rare cases where the dirty underbelly of the music industry turned fatal.
2. The Case of Melissa Chilton and Tiffany Campbell – The Exotic Tan Murders
📍Exotic Tan for Men, 1996
Keywords: Exotic Tan murders, Melissa Chilton, Tiffany Campbell, Nashville cold case
On February 22, 1996, Melissa Chilton and Tiffany Campbell, both in their early 20s, were found brutally stabbed to death inside Exotic Tan for Men, a private adult tanning salon in Nashville. The case made headlines across the country due to its shocking violence and the suggestive nature of the location.
Despite extensive investigation, the case remains unsolved to this day. Police have interviewed dozens of potential suspects, and theories range from jealous rage to connections with underground activities — but no arrests have been made.
Chilling detail: The salon was locked when police arrived, and there was no sign of forced entry.
3. Marcia Trimble – The Girl Who Never Came Home
📍Green Hills, 1975
Keywords: Marcia Trimble murder, Nashville unsolved crimes, Nashville cold case
On Valentine’s Day 1975, 9-year-old Marcia Trimble disappeared while delivering Girl Scout cookies in her upscale Green Hills neighborhood. Her body was found 33 days later in a neighbor’s garage — strangled and sexually assaulted. The case haunted Nashville for decades. Multiple suspects were investigated, and false arrests were made, but no one was convicted until 2008, when DNA finally linked Jerome Barrett, a convicted rapist, to the murder.
Haunting fact: The case went unsolved for over 30 years, despite national attention and intense public pressure.
4. Peggy Cox – Killed on Her Son’s Birthday
📍Franklin, 1991
Keywords: Peggy Cox murder, Franklin TN cold case, fast food drive-thru murder
Though technically in Franklin (just outside of Nashville), the 1991 murder of Peggy Cox still sends chills through Middle Tennessee. On the night of her son’s 20th birthday, Peggy was working the drive-thru at Hardee’s when she was shot and killed by a customer — execution style — after handing out an order.
The case remained a mystery for nearly 23 years until 2014, when a convicted felon named Jeffrey D. Womack was arrested after a tip and forensic work linked him to the crime. Womack pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.
Why it lingered: Police initially thought it was random. Turns out, it was a hit — arranged over an unpaid debt.
5. The Murder of Janet March – A Missing Wife, A Vanished Body
📍Forest Hills, 1996
Keywords: Janet March murder, Nashville missing person, Perry March
Janet March, a well-known local artist and mother of two, disappeared from her Nashville home in August 1996. Her husband, Perry March, claimed she left after an argument and never came back. Suspicious, right? But with no body and no direct evidence, no charges were filed for nearly a decade.
Finally, in 2005 — almost 10 years later — Perry March was arrested in Mexico and charged with her murder. Though Janet’s body was never found, he was convicted and sentenced to 56 years. It’s one of the most high-profile murder convictions in Tennessee history—based almost entirely on circumstantial evidence.
Twist: Perry’s father was also convicted of conspiring to kill Janet’s parents while Perry was in jail awaiting trial.
Final Words: Music City’s Darker Side
These aren’t just urban legends or ghost stories — these are real lives, real crimes, and real heartbreak. Nashville may be famous for country stars and neon nights, but its streets also hold secrets, long-buried scandals, and echoes of justice still searching for a voice.