Walker was a student at Central High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she was reportedly a cheerleader. "He tried to have a tough exterior, like a shield, to fit in," his uncle Roger McDonald said. After five hours of deliberation, jurors found Gaul, now 19, guilty of first-degree murder as well as stalking, theft, reckless endangerment and being in possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony. I walked in, photographed the interior of the residence. "You said that she's nonresponsive?" "Everybody kept giving us the name Riley Gaul because of their relationship, because they had seen the way that Riley had treated her, the way he'd talk to her," Merritt said. Students began to gather around the victim, said freshman Jared Wohlford, 14. Jamar Siler, 15, was charged with one count of first-degree murder and was being held in a juvenile court facility, police spokesman Darrell DeBusk said. He got more possessive and more clingy towards her, and wouldnt let her do certain things, Lauren Hutton added. He came in very polite, very nice in the beginning. accused of killing Knoxville cheerleader Investigators said that on November 21, 2016, Gaul fired a gun into Walker's bedroom while she was asleep, killing the Central High School cheerleader. Police identified the victim as Ryan McDonald, a sophomore who lived with his grandmother and had alopecia, a condition that left him bald and the target of endless teasing as a child. When police started interviewing Emma Walkers friends and family members that day, Merritt said the same name kept coming up over and over again. ", "His interview was probably one of the most disconnected. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -A student fatally shot a 15-year-old classmate during a dispute Thursday at a Knoxville high school, police said, as other teenagers watched in horror as the victim clutched his chest and fell to the floor. One message in particular alarmed Walkers mother. Walking around outside the home, he eventually found a second bullet hole on a different side the house at approximately the same height as the first. For more high school stories, stats and videos, visit http://usatodayhss.com. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The school has a recent history of gun violence among its current and former students. Im home alone and somebody in all black walked down my street and came to my door and rang the doorbell over and over again, Walker texted, adding I thought I was going to die., She also texted Gaul, saying, I hate you but I need you right now.". He says the officers encountered him in a bathroom and ordered him out but he wouldnt comply. Friends described really dramatic arguments between the two, often over text message or Snapchat posts. In one post, Walker wrote, Look how lucky I am.. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A student fatally shot a 15-year-old classmate during a dispute Thursday at a Knoxville high school, police said, as other teenagers watched in horror as the victim clutched his chest and fell to the floor. At the time of the murder, Gaul was attending Maryville College. But friends and family recalled Gauls possessive and controlling habits with Emma and suspected the grieving ex-boyfriend may have played a bigger role in her death than he was letting on. He was just so scared of these people who were out to get him, were out to get Emma.". In court, Gaul tried to claim that had never intended to kill Emma when he fired those fatal shots and thought the gunfire would only scare her, but a jury didnt buy his account and he was convicted of first-degree murder. In 2008 at Central High School, 15-year-old Ryan McDonald was killed by another 15-year WebWhy Investigators Realized Emma Walkers Death Was Murder It had been just like any other night. Police said in the tweet that the situation was still active, contradicting earlier information claiming that she situation was no longer active. Then, "Go alone," said another, and another said, "I've got someone you love. Vending Services (Noida)Shop 8, Hans Plaza (Bhaktwar Mkt. No cops,'" said Walton. It can be a small gesture, such as bringing someone their very treat when they arrive home or simply giving a loved one a hug. By: Logan Newman. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee acknowledged the shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School in a statement, calling it a very difficult and tragic situation.. It almost seemed rehearsed, deliberate," Merritt told "20/20.". A preliminary hearing has been set for Dec. 2. It sounded like someone was in the house and opened a door and slammed it, he told Dateline: Secrets Uncovered." Central High School She loved leading and she loved football games. WebEmma Walker, 16, was sleeping at home in her bed in North Knox County, Tennessee, in November 2016, when two shots were fired into her bedroom, one of which hit her in the "(I) said her name, didn't hear anything, bumped her leg, didn't hear anything," Jill Walker said. Walker's friends and family were devastated. The YouCaring account says, "Our hearts are heavy with the tragic loss of Emma Walker of Fountain City, Knoxville. Where is William Riley Gaul Now? - The Cinemaholic Knoxville school shooting While a part of the package is offered free of cost, the rest of the premix, you can buy at a throwaway price. She found out later that had never been the case, and Gaul came up with an unorthodox plan for both girls when it came time for prom. Jill Walker said Gaul would always comment on what her daughter wore, telling her what she should and shouldnt wear, to the point where she said she ended up saying something to Emma about it. WebEmma Walker, a beautiful and vibrant cheerleader, had been killed by a gunshot wound to the head after two bullets had been fired into her bedroom from outside the family's single Law enforcement says the situation is no longer considered active.. Her family said before sentencing that they thought Gaul deserved to be executed. / CBS/AP. He's like, 'I don't know what happened' I don't know how I got here. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. "She's, she's 16.". For more information, please see Ms. Bri Dowis in the cafeteria during your lunch or in the guidance office. Greene said that Walker thought it was one of Gaul's friends playing a prank on her, but that she texted back, threatening to call the police. Jefferson County High School. Above all, Emma was a beloved daughter, sister, family member, and friend. They understood the dangers and the concerns, but they wanted to do it.". "Emma's like, 'Why are you here?' As a host, you should also make arrangement for water. The school, which has about 1,400 students, was placed on lockdown after the shooting. Then on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, Walker was allowed to attend a gathering at a friends house. It was one of her passions. Gaul was a freshman wide receiver and student at Maryville College, while Walker was a cheerleader and honors student at Central High School in Knoxville. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click here for more details on Pipeline. The Water Dispensers of the Vending Services are not only technically advanced but are also efficient and budget-friendly. Either way, the machines that we have rented are not going to fail you. The account says the 16-year-old's dream was to become a nurse. "He got shot and started walking and he was holding his chest. "He was a good kid who was dealt some bad cards in life.". WebKnoxville is also the site of Tennessees last fatal shooting of a student inside of a school. On Thursday, Mr Lee signed a bill allowing gun owners over the age of 21 to carry firearms, open or concealed, without the need for a permit or training. "She just told me a bunch of cruel stuff, and she blocked his (friend's) number.". It's been in his mind. "If your boyfriend or girlfriend is telling (you) you can't go there, or what to wear, or who to hang out with, or who to talk to. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. For years together, we have been addressing the demands of people in and around Noida. Then, waste no time, come knocking to us at the Vending Services. I sat in the parking lot, just looking at pictures of us, he claimed. Her daughter was visibly shaken, and thought it could have been a burglar or maybe even a stalker. She was a cheerleader at Central High School and shared her smile with the entire Bobcat Nation. Gaul took to social media to mourn Walker, posting a series of tweets and a lengthy Facebook post. He didn't have a whole lot of passion or concern.. (CNN) -- A student died Thursday after being shot at Central High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, police said. Student shot at Tennessee high school dies Classes were dismissed and students were bused to a nearby church so they could be picked up by their parents. Multiple gunshot victims have been reported at Austin-East Magnet High School, including a police officer responding to the scene. Its all things that are a part of Emma and all mean something, said Jill Walker. Riley Gaul asks for new trial in cheerleader's murder | wbir.com ", Signs of an unhealthy relationship and what you should do about it. 16-year-old Emma Walker, a popular, bubbly Central High School cheerleader, It's been in his heart. Emma texted with her friend Keegan Lyle about a homework assignment, then went to bed a little after midnight. I was worried and we were watching her, Jill Walker said. We focus on clientele satisfaction. It had initially been scheduled for December 4. I love you. I've been kidnapped. All Rights Reserved. "She's just like, 'We just broke up. "If you'd like to hear his crying and screams give him a call," said one message. When Gaul killed Walker, he forever disrupted their lives, they say in victim impact statements. He was a high school football player, she was a cheerleader in Knoxville, Tenn. At Central High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, a Friday night in autumn means a football stadium bathed in lights and two teams battling it out on the gridiron in front of a sea of red and black -- everyone decked out in support of the home team, the Bobcats. "We finally get to him and he's pulling up his head, kind of, has this confused face on," Greene said. "So obviously it had turned into a crime scene at that point. 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But Walton, another friend, also told detectives that Gaul had asked him how to get fingerprints off a gun. TV networks and People magazine were among the news outlets nationally that reported and covered the case. He then located two shell casings outside the home, so he knew two shots had been fired. the 911 operator asked her. Maryvilles football roster indicates Gaul graduated from Central High. Knox News reported that a source speaking to them on the condition of anonymity said police have detained a suspect. on demand Dec 09, 2022 2:00 PM PST. Emma and Gaul dated on and off for two years. I know. Gaul said he thought he had spent Friday night at his friend Noah Waltons house. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Although Gaul, who was two years older, already had a girlfriend of his own, he promised Emma that he would break up with her. Welcome to The Independents rolling coverage of a mass shooting at a high school in Knoxville, Tennessee. Emma Jane Em Walker (2000-2016) - Find a Grave Memorial Investigators say William Riley Gaul killed the Central High School cheerleader . By Sunday night, things seemed back to normal at the Walker household. She would come out of her room, eat dinner with us, and socialize with us., Walker had even texted her friend Keegan Lyle to say she and Gaul were done for good., She just came to the realization that she deserved better, Lyle said. The family will receive friends from noon until 3 pm. Thats because, we at the Vending Service are there to extend a hand of help. At this point, detectives said they knew from McCarty that Gaul had shown his friend his grandfather's gun. The next morning Emma was dead. His friends witnessed his mood swings. ", "I just tried to wake my daughter for school," Jill Walker told the 911 operator. I never meant to take Emma's life. Gaul had graduated and was an 18-year-old freshman at a nearby college by then, and Walker was in her junior year of high school, but their tumultuous relationship had continued despite her parents attempts to keep them apart. Her sudden death initially seemed to be a mystery, but investigators ultimately discovered a bullet hole in the bedroom wall, suggesting that as the 16-year-old was sleeping, someone crept up outside the home and fired two bullets into the side of the house before sneaking away virtually unnoticed. She was shot through a wall of her home as she slept. In addition to the gun, police recovered what they believe to be a treasure trove of evidence, including gloves and black clothing, which authorities say point to Gaul also being the man dressed in black who was mysteriously at Walkers door the Saturday morning before she was killed. According to local news outlet WBIR 10, an anonymous source told reporters that the suspect in the shooting has been shot and killed. We also offer the Coffee Machine Free Service. "It's exciting.". In one tweet, he wrote, "Rest easy now sweetheart. If you are throwing a tea party, at home, then, you need not bother about keeping your housemaid engaged for preparing several cups of tea or coffee. He just wanted her to think that he was all she had, Jill said of the toxic relationship. Its like a nightmare, Jill told Dateline: Secrets Uncovered,airing Thursdays at 8/7c on Oxygen. She did become like her old self again, her father Mark Walker said. Jill Walker said they advised their daughter to break-up with Gaul several times., But as you do that with a teenager, the more you butt heads, the more she is going to think he is in the right, she said. Knoxville Central High School Thats my beautiful Emma. It's not just bruises, it's emotional and controlling. She was a cheerleader and student at Central High School. When she didn't rouse the next morning, Emmas mother, Jill Walker, went to check on her and discovered she was dead. Photo: He refused to accept it. At first, the relationship seemed just kind of normal," said Keegan Lyle, one of Walker's best friends. At his sentencing hearing today, Gaul, who did not speak during his trial, apologized to the Walkers for killing their daughter, but stuck by his defense that it was an accidental shooting. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The next morning as she was driving home from a sleepover, Emma was spooked by a man she saw near her home dressed in all black. Matthews said he thought it was a fake at first but then realized the shooting was real. WebLaw enforcement officials would eventually determine that Emma had been killed in her sleep, shot with a 9mm handgun in the early hours that morning. His trial date on charges related to the death of 16-year-old Emma Walker was set for April 30. Someone dropped me off here' I don't know what's happening' Where am I? Jenny Weldon, Walkers aunt,told the Knoxville News Sentinelthe girl had ended a romantic relationship with Gaul in recent weeks, but he refused to accept the breakup. [Gaul] he didn't really talk to us, her friends, a lot, she said. This is insane, Noah can be heard saying in the recording as they head to meet Gaul. William Riley Gaul appeared in Knox County Criminal Court on Friday morning to make his case. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Young Williams Animal Shelter or to the Emma Walker Memorial Fund. The team had just six cheerleaders to start the school year at Southeast High. Just, you know, about the size of a ballpoint ink pen," he said. When Gaul started college, Emma discovered he had been photographed with other girls and ended the relationship for good just before Thanksgiving. ", Alex McCarty and Noah Walton are seen here during an interview with ABC News' "20/20.". Trial date set for man accused of killing Knoxville cheerleader, National Park Service says never push a slower friend down when escaping a bear, Late power surge lifts No. He was a little nerdy on the side, said Zach Greene, one of Walker's friends. Because he had a way of isolating her and making her think that he was the only one.. Over the next two years, Walker and Gaul seemed to become that other classic high school couple, the kind that was always breaking up and getting back together. Detectives asked Gaul about the gun, but he told them he didn't know where it was. Please enter valid email address to continue. "And then looked at her face and realized and checked for a pulse and couldn't find anything. Just go through our Coffee Vending Machines Noida collection. Example video title will go here for this video. The shooting happened shortly after 8 a.m. at the Central High School cafeteria, Chief Deputy Bill Roehl said, and the suspected shooter was taken into custody minutes later on a nearby street. And he said, 'I know. April 12 (Reuters) - Police shot and killed a Knoxville, Tennessee, high school student on Monday after they said he opened fire on them in a campus bathroom, wounding an officer. First published on November 23, 2016 / 3:49 PM. Jamarion Gillett, 15, previously attended the school in the fall of 2020 before he was killed in a separate incident on 9 March. "He's trying to get her attention to talk to him. For every nasty message Gaul sent Walker, there was also a quick apology. Students in the cafeteria began crying and scrambling to leave, while others tried to get in the room, thinking they had missed a fight, witnesses said. WebPolice say Emma was killed in her bedroom on Nov. 21 when her 18-year-old ex-boyfriend, former Maryville College wide receiver William Riley Gaul, allegedly shot her from outside dead, officer injured after gunfire erupts Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? She was a junior at Central High School, a member of the Stone raised numerous reasons why his client should be acquitted or given another trial including the jury not being sequestered for a case that drew national attention, a crime scene photograph of Watson, objection to coverage by Law and Crime and McGee's refusal to toss some of the grand jury's counts against Gaul. Video unavailable Watch on The funeral service will follow at 3 at Hill Cemetery. on demand Nov 17, 2022 3:00 PM PST. When Gaul left the sheriff's office, McCarty said he started getting text messages from him, asking why he had told the police about the gun. Its like a nightmare, Emma Watson's mother said after discovering her 16-year-old dead in bed in November 2016. "Consistent with her reaching out to Riley regarding the events Saturday morning he was attempting to get her to ask him for help again, sort of to be her protector.
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