SMYRNA, Tenn. (WGNS) - A Rutherford County grand jury has handed down a first-degree murder indictment against a 36-year-old man in connection with the January death of his father.

Thaddeus Lee, a resident of Lee Road, faces several felony charges following the January 12th slaying of 55-year-old Ben J. Lee. According to Lt. Steve Craig of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, the formal charges were announced Monday following a comprehensive investigation into the incident near Smyrna.

Beyond the murder count, the indictment includes two counts of evidence tampering and one count of possessing a firearm during a felony. Detective Jeremy Murdock, who headed the CID investigation, noted that the arrest for premeditated murder followed the discovery of a significant volume of evidence.

The younger Lee is currently being processed at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, where he remains in custody under a $500,000 bond. Legal proceedings are scheduled to move forward in Circuit Court, with a hearing currently set for March 26th.

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