Fayette County, TN: TBI Investigating Fayette Co. Shooting, Police Say Suicide, Witness Says Otherwise Dispute Leads to Woman Hit by Car, Man Shot Dead

Updated: Friday, 24 Sep 2010, 5:22 PM CDT
Published : Friday, 24 Sep 2010, 12:58 PM CDT

Fayette County authorities say what began with a domestic squabble led to abduction, high speed chase and ended with a shooting death. This all took place in about 20 minutes.

Unfortunately for the families involved it may take a lifetime to erase the pain and suffering of a tragic day.

We know where the argument began; we know where one victim and one suspect abruptly parted ways. We know where a high speed chase with law enforcement ended behind this Fayette County house with gunfire.

But, it's how 22-year old Actavia Worles died that's appears to produce two drastically different accounts between the Fayette County Sheriff's office and Worles' distraught family and friends.

"When I got here everything was taped off and they was on the back porch and they wouldn't let nobody go back there and see him. So, I don't know if the officer shot him or not," said Actavia's brother, Anthony Worles.

All parties agree on the initial facts of the incident. Worles and his girlfriend, the mother of their one year old son, began to argue at their house in Somerville about 9:00 Friday morning. Neighbors confirm they saw the still arguing couple climb into Worles car along with their child and another child belonging to her.

At the wheel Worles headed northbound on Highway 59. Just as they cross the Loosahatchie Bridge, his girlfriend attempted to jump out of the car but, in the process, she becomes caught in the seat belt and is drug under the car.

By this time Somerville Police have been alerted and along with Fayette County deputies chase Worles. They alleged Worles tried to run one of the cars driven by an officer off the road. The high speed pursuit continued for about 8 miles when Worles veers off on Brewer road and cuts across a couple of backyards in an attempt to reach his mother's home. Apparently, all of this in full view of her neighbors who can see the front and the back of the house.

"My mother said he got out of the car. He was knocking at the backdoor trying to get in and she was fixing to go to the door and let him in. Then all of a sudden all the police ran around...shouting "get out of the house" By the time they got out of the house they heard a gunshot," said Anthony.

Although the investigation has now been taken over by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, we were told by a deputy, the officers did not fire a shot and that by the time they came around the house Worles had shot himself.

Yet, for a time the gun he used couldn't be found. Worles family and an alleged eyewitness, who did not want to appear on camera, assert that's because he didn't have one by the time he arrived at the Brewer address.

"When he ran up there you could clearly see it. He didn't have a gun in his hand?
At all!" said Anthony. "My sister actually seen him. He drove the car across the front yard and she said he jumped out of the car. She didn't see him with no gun in his hand."

Worles girlfriend was taken to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis where she is in critical condition. Their one year old and the other child are both safe.