Knox County Regional Forensic Center

Knox County RFC Director Chris Thomas and Brandon Styles, of the Metro Drug Coalition, met with members of the Knoxville Leadership Foundation on Monday to talk about what fatal drugs are making their way into our communities and some of the programs local leaders are using to combat these ongoing challenges.

During the 90-minute-long presentation, held at the Regas Building in downtown Knoxville, Thomas focused much of his discussion on a new opioid – cychlorphine – that recently hit Knoxville’ streets some time last year and has contributed to more than 50 suspected overdose deaths. The drug is ten times as powerful as fentanyl, which is 200 times as powerful as he**in.

“I’m not saying we’re the first to identify it, but we are the first to bring it to the public’s attention,” said Thomas, who is also the chief administrative officer for the RFC.

Since early this year, the RFC has gone to great lengths to bring attention to the new drug, meeting with local and national media, including the New York Times. RFC officials have pointed out that Knox County isn’t necessarily a hotspot for the new drug but rather a hotspot for surveilling the new opioid.

Styles, a regional overdose prevention specialist at MDC, said one of the best ways for groups to work more efficiently is to share data. Both he and Thomas noted that “to share data means to save lives.”

The Knoxville Leadership Foundation not only values risk and leadership but it emphasizes churches and communities working together to see neighborhoods thrive. It also works with more than a dozen nonprofits in rural counties surrounding Knox, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and then providing consulting and training in marketing, strategic planning, board development, legal compliance, fundraising and other areas.

The Knox County RFC, which operates 24/7, 365 days each year, performs autopsies for 23 counties and is the official medical examiner for Knox, Anderson and Blount counties.

The RFC’s mission is to provide accurate, timely, compassionate and professional death investigative services for the residents of Knox County and the counties it serves; identify and develop an understanding of sudden, unexpected and unnatural deaths, and educate the public about those deaths; assist law enforcement agencies in their investigations; offer consultation to medical professionals and attorneys; render unbiased opinions and testimony in court; and extend research and educational support for local and national medical, legal, academic and law enforcement organizations.

The MDC’s work is rooted in lived experience, hope, and service. For example, Styles is a recovery advocate, speaker, and regional overdose prevention specialist whose work is rooted in lived experience, hope, and service. He is the Owner and Director of Programming for Sage Recovery, serves as 2nd Vice President of NAMI Knoxville, and is currently training as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC). Brandon is widely recognized for his honest, hope-centered approach to addiction recovery, mental health advocacy, and community education.

Chris Thomas, director and chief administrative officer of the Knox County RFC, was recently a guest on the Bob Bell Show where he had the opportunity to speak about water safety (May is National Water Safety Month) and all things Regional Forensic Center-related.

BBS-Guest- Chris Thomas of the Regional Forensic Center on Water Safety during the holidays, pool or lake 052126 Visit the post for more.

Please watch and read this story which will detail the work our office is doing in collaboration with Othram inc. in the field of Forensic Genetic Genealogy which has already helped solve a dozen cold case identities in East Tennessee and is working on helping us solve even more.

Othram, a Houston-based forensic lab, uses what it calls “identity inference” and “forensic grade genome sequencing” to identify unknown victims and suspects. The company said it remains the only lab in the world with this capability.

The lab is working with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on the state’s Unidentified Human Remains Initiative. Each case costs about $13,000 to solve. https://tinyurl.com/5fehpwne

About two weeks ago we partnered with Berry Funeral Home to hold a memorial service for three unclaimed veterans. Yahoo takes a deeper dive into the veterans who received full military honors.

Who were the three unclaimed veterans honored at a memorial service in Knoxville? In most cases, individuals who are unclaimed after their death are never given an obituary, but Dignity Memorials honored all three veterans who were given a memorial service Wednesday by releasing ob...

Knox County RFC, Local Officials Recognize National Water Safety Month

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— A drowning can happen in seconds and is often silent. In fact, more children ages one to four die from downing than any other cause of death nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are over 4,000 unintentional drownings – or roughly 11 a day – annually, mostly in swimming pools, the CDC notes. And, almost 90 percent of the time, the child is under some form of supervision.

Here in East Tennessee, drowning is the leading cause of death sent to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center for children ages one to four – with 20 cases during the seven year span of 2019 to 2025. (Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause sent to the RFC with 14 cases.)

“Losing a child is traumatic,” said Chris Thomas, director and chief administrative officer of the Knox County RFC. “Losing a child to a completely preventable situation is devastating and all we want to do is continue to raise awareness in the hope that someone will read this, change a habit and save a life.”

As swimming season nears and families take to the warm weather and begin vacation plans, officials note that May is National Water Safety Month, an annual campaign dedicated to educating the public about drowning prevention and water safety. The national recognition is led by a coalition that includes the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, American Red Cross, National Recreation and Park Association, and World Waterpark Association. The goal is to increase awareness about vital water safety practices through public service announcements, governmental proclamations, and easy-to-access water safety materials.

“We know that when water safety and drowning prevention organizations work together with a shared vision of increasing water safety awareness and sharing educational resources, we can multiply our impact—saving more lives and preventing more drownings,” said Alissa Magrum, executive director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, in a media release. “Drowning impacts people of all ages and occurs in all kinds of water. The good news is that drowning is preventable and when we work together, we can save lives.”

Dr. Corinne Tandy, division director of Epidemiology for the Knox County Health Department, noted that swimming lessons are available at private and non-profit centers in the area, including the YMCA, the City of Knoxville, and many private organizations.

"Drowning is a leading cause of death for children and is preventable,” Tandy said. “As the weather warms up, keep these prevention tips in mind: Teach children how to swim; supervise children closely and constantly when they are in or near water; and always provide children with properly fitted life jackets.”

Thomas Cochran, co-owner of All Knox Swim, agreed.

“The No. 1 tip I can give you is to never let your guard down,” said Cochran, whose business also volunteers at the local Emerald Youth Aquatics. “I do believe if we could do one thing for each age range, we could reduce the drowning statistics dramatically. For those ages one to four, please put a pool fence around your pool that cuts off access directly to the house and for those ages four to 17, please wear a lifejacket in natural bodies of water – no matter what.”

More information is available at www.NationalWaterSafetyMonth.org and a water safety season tool kit can be found here.

About the Knox County Regional Forensic Center

The Knox County RFC, which operates 24/7, 365 days each year, performs autopsies for 23 counties and is the official medical examiner for Knox, Anderson and Blount counties.

The RFC’s mission is to provide accurate, timely, compassionate and professional death investigative services for the residents of Knox County and the counties it serves; identify and develop an understanding of sudden, unexpected and unnatural deaths, and educate the public about those deaths; assist law enforcement agencies in their investigations; offer consultation to medical professionals and attorneys; render unbiased opinions and testimony in court; and extend research and educational support for local and national medical, legal, academic and law enforcement organizations.

# # #

Chris Thomas, director and chief administrative officer of the Knox County RFC, today met with several McNabb Center officials to talk about what the Regional Forensic Center does.

The Knox County RFC, which operates 24/7, 365 days each year, performs autopsies for 23 counties and is the official medical examiner for Knox, Anderson and Blount counties.

The RFC’s mission is to provide accurate, timely, compassionate and professional death investigative services for the residents of Knox County and the counties it serves; identify and develop an understanding of sudden, unexpected and unnatural deaths, and educate the public about those deaths; assist law enforcement agencies in their investigations; offer consultation to medical professionals and attorneys; render unbiased opinions and testimony in court; and extend research and educational support for local and national medical, legal, academic and law enforcement organizations.

Today, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center held a training session hosted by Dr. Lauren Havrilla and Chris Hawley, senior lead medicolegal death investigator, on pediatric death investigations. More than 60 professionals involved in children death investigations, such as law enforcement, district attorneys, medical examiners, and child protective services, attended the day long seminar, which was held at the Knoxville Public Safety Complex. The class was designed to strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration, promote investigative consistency and support accurate, thorough child death investigations across jurisdictions.

The State of Tennessee Department of Health recognized the Knox County RFC for its leadership in overdose death investigation, noting that the office reflects a commitment to going beyond routine investigation to uncover patterns, identify emerging threats, and translate findings into meaningful prevention efforts. The recognition stems from a recent New York Times front page article in which state officials note that the piece "powerfully illustrates the essential role that a proactive, data-informed, and determined approach to death investigation plays within public health, and it reinforces the importance of sustained support for both the system and the professionals who carry out this critical work."

Knox County RFC, Berry Funeral Homes Laid to Rest Three Unclaimed Vets

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— It was poignant and somber, and yet it was also uplifting.

On Wednesday, three unclaimed veterans received full military honors as they were laid to rest at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery before a crowd of local residents, elected officials and representatives from each of the branches they served.

“There is a popular saying that no one is dead as long as their name is spoken,” said Chaplin John Justice, who is currently chaplain of the Vietnam Veterans of America. “Why do we honor them today? Because each of them is now a part of us.”

Justice, who is a Vietnam veteran, added that during basic training he was taught “never to leave anyone behind” – even if the person died. He noted that power rests in a name and that the three unclaimed veterans each deserved his name spoken aloud.

Then he said:

• TSG Brian Neil Forbes, US Air Force, (1971-1987)
• PFC Robert James Vargo; US Army (1978)
• SP4 George Edwin Day, Jr., US Army (1970-1972)

They are now interred during an annual service designed to provide a dignified military-precision ceremony that also features Honor Guards.

On Wednesday, they played Taps, they offered a 21-gun salute and they folded U.S. flags, which were presented to members of the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.

The service is part of a collaboration between Berry Funeral Home/Dignity Memorial, the Knox County RFC and the cemetery.

“It’s always an honor to be able to pay final respect to these men and women who served our country with distinction,” said Chris Thomas, director and chief administrative officer of the Knox County RFC. “Regardless of the circumstances prior to their death, they served our country and deserve our utmost respect and this honor.”

The RFC first cremates the decedents and Berry Funeral Home/Dignity Memorial provides free urns and works with the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery to plan and organize the service.

From there, each urn is placed in its own hearse and driven slowly to its grave, escorted by members of the military branch in which they served and members of local bike chapters. A flag is then folded and presented to the next of kin. In the case of the unclaimed, the next of kin are the staff of the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.

There are a number of reasons the veterans go unclaimed. Sometimes law enforcement cannot find the next of kin and sometimes no next of kin exists. Others time, the KCRFC finds a friend or family member, but they are un able or unwilling to make arrangements.

As it stands, roughly 60 veterans during the past 15 years fit one of these reasons.

The KCRFC’s list of unclaimed veterans can be found here.