Opinion ID: 1057985
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Murder Committed to Avoid Arrest or Prosecution

Text: Defendant contends that the evidence is not sufficient to establish that he killed the victim in order to avoid his arrest and prosecution. See id. at (i)(6). We disagree. This aggravating circumstance focuses on a defendant's motives in killing the victim. Ivy, 188 S.W.3d at 149; State v. Reid, 164 S.W.3d 286, 315 (Tenn. 2005); Terry v. State, 46 S.W.3d 147, 162 (Tenn.2001). Although there must be some particular proof supporting this aggravating circumstance, State v. Hartman, 42 S.W.3d 44, 58 (Tenn.2001), the State need not prove that the defendant's desire to avoid prosecution was his sole motive in murdering the victim. Terry, 46 S.W.3d at 162. In this case, Defendant admitted that he commandeered the victim's car because he was on the run from law enforcement for crimes he committed elsewhere. He could have ejected the victim from her car at the moment he took it, but he forced her to remain in the car with him. He subsequently drove her to a remote location, stabbed her, and concealed her body. Defendant then fled the state in the victim's car. This proof was sufficient to establish that Defendant killed the victim at least in part to prevent his apprehension. See, e.g., Reid, 164 S.W.3d at 316 (proof supported (i)(6) aggravating circumstance where defendant robbed and kidnapped the victims, took them to a remote area, stabbed them, and abandoned them); State v. Powers, 101 S.W.3d 383, 399 (Tenn.2003) (proof supported (i)(6) aggravating circumstance where defendant abducted victim from her driveway, drove her to a remote location, robbed and killed her, and left her body in a storage room). Application of this aggravating circumstance is supported by sufficient proof.