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. 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.
2. Kevin Huges – The Country Chart Whistleblower
📍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 execution style right on Music Row while returning to car with musician Sammy Sadler (who was also shot but survived). 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.
3. Marcia Trimble – The Girl Who Never Came Home
📍Green Hills, 1975
Keywords: Marcia Trimble murder, Green Hills cold case, Girl Scout tragedy
Nine-year-old Marcia Trimble left her home in Nashville’s Green Hills neighborhood to deliver Girl Scout cookies — and never came back. Thirty-three days later, her body was found in a nearby garage, the victim of a brutal assault and murder that shattered the city’s sense of safety.
For decades, the case haunted Nashville until DNA evidence finally led to Jerome Barrett, who was convicted in 2009.
Why it lingers: A bright spring afternoon turned into every parent’s nightmare — and a case that defined an era of fear in Middle Tennessee.
4. Peggy Cox – Killed on Her Birthday
📍Franklin, 1991
Keywords: Peggy Cox murder, Franklin TN cold case, Hardee’s drive-thru shooting
On the night of her 49th birthday, Peggy Cox was working the late shift at the Hardee’s drive-thru in Franklin when she took what would be her final order. Moments after reading it back, a single gunshot rang out — killing her instantly. Her son, working inside that night, rushed to find his mother collapsed behind the window.
The murder shocked the quiet town and remains Franklin’s only unsolved homicide. Despite decades of investigation, no suspect has ever been arrested.
Why it lingers: The motive is still a mystery. No robbery, no enemies — just one chilling moment that turned a birthday shift into a decades-long haunting for the entire community.
5. The Murder of Janet March – A Missing Wife, A Vanished Body
📍Forest Hills, 1996
Keywords: Janet March murder, Nashville missing, Perry March
In August 1996, artist and mother of two Janet March vanished from her Forest Hills home. Her husband, Perry March, claimed she walked out after an argument—then the trail went cold. Nearly a decade later, in 2005, Perry was arrested in Mexico and brought back to Tennessee. In 2006 he was convicted of murder, evidence-tampering, and abusing a corpse—all yet Janet’s body was never found. He received a 56-year sentence.
Twist: Perry’s father, Arthur March, was convicted in a separate plot to kill Janet’s parents while Perry sat in jail—and died in prison in 2006.
Why it lingers: This is a high-profile “no body” case that still haunts Nashville.
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.