By Katie Northcott, News Director
On Monday, Oct. 13, Hickman County Sheriff Jason Craft and Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis released the names of the victims in the Accurate Energetic Systems explosion.
In the same press conference, Craft and Davis asked media members to be respectful of victims’ families at funerals and vigils. Additionally, they asked that individuals and media avoid posting information if unsure about the validity of the information, as rumors are hurtful to victims’ families.
The victims names are:
- Jason Adams
- Erick Anderson
- Billy Baker
- Adam Boatman
- Christopher Clark
- Mindy Clifton
- James Cook
- Reyna Gillahan
- LaTeisha Mays
- Jeremy Moore
- Melinda Rainey
- Melissa Stafford
- Trenton Stewart
- Rachel Woodall
- Steven Wright
- Donald Yowell
The explosion occurred on Friday, Oct. 10. Since the explosion, local authorities have received support from multiple state and federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), which has been leading the investigation.
Governor Bill Lee visited the explosion site on Sunday, Oct. 12. In a press conference, he said he was struck by the magnitude of the blast and was moved by the grief of the victim’s families as well as the support of the community toward the families.
The investigation at the explosion site is ongoing. Authorities have been cautious about dispersing information, ensuring information is correct before releasing it. Davis said the investigation is intentionally moving at a “snail’s pace” and that the first priority is to ensure that the site is secure and safe.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is working to identify the victims’ remains through DNA testing. The release of names does not indicate remains have been identified, according to reporting by News Channel 5 Nashville. Davis said the focus of the investigation would likely turn to identifying remains in coming days.
The final step of the investigation will be to investigate the cause of the explosion.
“We have one shot. One shot,” Davis said. “If this is an accident, we want to prove it to ourselves that this is an accident. If this is something–not saying that it is or it is not–we only have that one shot to process that evidence and to be methodical and slow in making sure that it is that accident or it is something else.”
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