Murfreesboro, TN: Murfreesboro man charged in wife’s death

Authorities have charged a Murfreesboro man with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife who was found on Valentine's Day inside their Kanatak Lane home in the Blackman community.

Jacob Pearman, 30, was taken into custody only a few hours after he allegedly killed his wife, 30-year-old Carla Pearman, according to officials with Murfreesboro Police Department.

“He has been charged with first-degree murder,” said Maj. Clyde Adkison, a spokesman for the Police Department. “During his interview, he did confess to the detectives.”

Adkison said Jacob Pearman remains in custody at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, where he is being held without bond until a preliminary hearing, which will likely take place next week.

Police discovered the body of Carla Pearman at about 3:30 a.m. when they responded to 839 Kanatak Lane, located off Fortress Boulevard in the Preserve at Indian Creek subdivision, in reference to a possible suicide.

“At approximately 3:21 a.m., our 9-1-1 communications center received a phone call from the parents of (Jacob Pearman) stating that their son was possibly contemplating suicide,” Adkison said.

When police arrived at the residence less than five minutes later, they discovered Carla Pearman dead in the bedroom of the house, Adkison said.

Just before 6 a.m., Adkison said police tracked down Jacob Pearman in Manchester, Tenn., and brought him back to Murfreesboro for questioning.

Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division spent more than four hours combing through the house collecting evidence, as the investigation into the case continues.

Authorities have not publicly discussed how she was killed, and an official cause of death will not be released until an autopsy is completed by the State Medical Examiner's Office in Nashville.

The few details that have been released suggest that Carla Pearman was strangled and beaten to death.

Jacob Pearman, a well-known personal trainer at the Murfreesboro Athletic Club, and Carla Pearman, who is originally from Manchester, had been married for less than six months and lived in the house with her young son, whose identity is not being released due to privacy laws.

It is unknown whether the boy was at home when his mother was killed.

Although police have not commented on a possible motive, Jacob Pearman was scheduled to appear Thursday in Rutherford County General Sessions Court for a criminal summons on a charge of felony child abuse and neglect regarding an incident with his stepson.