After two days at
trial, a Blount County jury found 37-year-old Michael
Lee Murrell Jr, Lenoir City, guilty of six charges
related to his role in a 2022 Walland home invasion.
Murrell faced two
counts each of especially aggravated kidnapping,
aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery for breaking
into a Walland home on Jan. 4, 2022. Two minor boys home
at the time reported hearing loud, repetitive noises
coming from outside early that morning, and when one of
them went to investigate, he came upon Murrell holding a
handgun.
Murrell then
reportedly chased the boy back inside and tied both
minors up at gunpoint before stealing more than a dozen
items in excess of $5,000 from the home. By the time the
boys managed to free themselves, Murrell was long gone.
Blount County Sheriff’s deputies were called to
the scene, where they identified Murrell as the
offender based on witness statements. Deputies
filed warrants against Murrell with bonds
totaling $350,000 in Blount County General
Sessions Court but were unable to serve them
until he was spotted in Knox County just over
two weeks later.
On Jan. 20, 2022, Murrell was extradited back to
Blount County, and in August of that same year,
a Blount County Grand Jury indicted him on two
counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, two
counts of aggravated robbery and three counts of
aggravated burglary.
Murrell is due back in Circuit Court at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, April 2 for sentencing, according to
Blount County District Attorney spokesperson
Charli Whaley.