Hunt for suspect in Anderson County killing continues into Virginia

Donna Smith, The Oak Ridger
Updated ·2 min read

Multiple law enforcement agencies in Tennessee and Virginia are searching for Jason Dockery, a man suspected of having killed a woman in Heiskell, Tennessee, in Anderson County. Public schools in Lee County, Virginia, were closed Sept. 13 as officers continue to search for Dockery, who reportedly evaded police the afternoon of Sept. 12 in a vehicular pursuit that started in Claiborne County, Tennessee.

The pursuit in a vehicle occurred around 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to Lee County (Virginia) Sheriff Gary Parsons. It ended in Ewing, Virginia, with Dockery reportedly running into the woods. Ewing is a community in Lee County.

In addition to killing the woman in Heiskell, according to Parsons, Dockery is wanted for violations of probation for aggravated assault in Tennessee. The Virginia sheriff is advising all residents of the Ewing area to "stay vigilant, keep their doors locked and vehicles secured.

"The subject is considered to be armed and extremly dangerous," he stated. Residents with any tips were told to call 911 or the Lee County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's statements were provided to The Oak Ridger by the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, headquartered in Clinton, Tennessee.

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to Dockery being caught.

A spokesperson for the Anderson County Sheriff's Office said that the fatal shooting of a woman in the Heiskell community of Tennessee Tuesday occurred in the 200 block of Moores Gap Road. On Wednesday morning, the Sheriff's Office was still trying to find the victim's family, according to Chief Deputy Brian Galloway. Police have not named her.

Assisting the Anderson County Sheriff's Office in the search, in addition to the agencies already mentioned, are the Virginia State Police, National Park Service, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation/Virginia State Parks law enforcement rangers, the Blount County (Tennessee) Sheriff's Office and various partner agency officers and K-9 teams, the Virginia sheriff stated.

This photo was sent by an Anderson County Sheriff's Office spokesperson of the scene of a death in Heiskell, Tennessee in Anderson County on Sept. 12, 2023.
This photo was sent by an Anderson County Sheriff's Office spokesperson of the scene of a death in Heiskell, Tennessee in Anderson County on Sept. 12, 2023.

The Oak Ridger's News Editor Donna Smith covers Oak Ridge area news. Email her at dsmith@oakridger.com and follow her on Twitter@ridgernewsed.

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This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Hunt for suspect in Anderson County killing continues into Virginia