On May 18, 2023, the Shelbyville Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation began investigating the suspicious death of Julie Smotherman. Smotherman’s body was located in Bedford County.
An Investigation into her death led to the arrest of James Michael Beddingfield, age 46, of Shelbyville.
On Thursday, Metro Moore County Sheriff’s Office took James Beddingfield into custody. He is currently being held at the Bedford County Jail, charged with Criminal Homicide.
