TENNESSEE deputy Savanna Puckett was found shot to death in a blazing home after failing to show for work, and a suspect has been arrested.
Another deputy went to check on Puckett, 22, after she failed to show for a 5pm shift on Sunday and found her home engulfed in flames.
The deputy tried to enter the home but was not able to because of the fire.
The fire department was called in to handle the blaze, and the young deputy, who worked for the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office in northern Tennessee, was found suffering from a gunshot wound inside.
She was later pronounced dead at the scene.
On Monday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that a man had been arrested in connection with Puckett’s death.
“A man has been arrested following this morning’s law enforcement action in Smyrna,” a statement from the bureau said.
“The situation has resolved and there is no immediate threat to the public in the Odom Court area of Smyrna.”
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Investigators did not provide much additional detail about the man, as the investigation is ongoing, but said he was arrested in Smyrna after officers executed a search warrant.
Puckett had been working for the sheriff’s office for four years.
A statement from the office described the young deputy as hardworking and deeply caring.
“Savanna was the one who always showed up early to her shift with a smile on her face,” the statement said.
“She was hardworking and cared deeply for each and every person here. She was a mother hen to us all and frequently cooked meals and baked goodies for her shift.
“She was tough, courageous, kind, compassionate, and had an infectious personality that will always be remembered.”
The deputy’s body was transported from the medical examiner’s office in Nashville to Springfield Memorial Gardens this afternoon, the sheriff’s office said.
