Surveillance video shows last moments before suspected homicide

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A former Chattanooga cop had his preliminary hearing today in a November 2023 murder case.

Three key pieces of evidence were introduced by a prosecutor.

Goodine is charged with first degree murder among other charges in the November 2023 death of Kara Akins.

Video showing what prosecutors say was Kara Akins being led to her home by Lawrence Goodine, who is charged in her November 2023 murder.

One of those pieces of evidence was a ring camera from a neighbor on Carr Street that shows dramatic moments between Goodine and Akins on the night he is accused of killing her.

Prosecutor Paul Moyle says that video was taken around 9:30 on the evening of November 28-th. 

He says between that point and 4:30 the next morning, Kara Akins was killed inside of her home on Carr Street, which is where he says they were heading into in that Ring Camera video.

Moyle said, “On that Ms. Akins says stop, by my count 10 times. Feel free to review that video. (She) says Lawrence four times, and asks Lawrence, “Why are you doing this?” three times.”

An autopsy report conducted by the Hamilton County Medical Examiner found that Akins’ cause of death was manual strangulation and blunt force head injury.

Photos from that autopsy were shared in court.

Those photos showed various injuries that the medical examiner said led to Akins’ death.

Pictures were also shown of Akins’ living room, including blood found on the carpet.

Alvin Abbott, the Chattanooga Police investigator in this case, says they found evidence tying Goodine to the scene there, who had told investigators that Akins had overdosed.

Abott said they found order of protection papers against Goodine for Akins and Goodine’s wallet in the living room.

Bill Speek, Goodine’s defense attorney, began a line of questioning to suggest others may be involved.

Speek said, “We knew there’s a lot of people that have been in and out of that house in recent days. We wanted to get into some of those issues, which we will at trial.”

Roger Layne, the Akins family attorney, doesn’t buy it.

Layne said, “It’s straight out of the criminal defense playbook you know. Possible other suspects. It’s the number one thing if you don’t have anything else then you’re probably going to try to hammer on that.”

He added that this step is important for the Akins family, who were disappointed a few weeks ago when this preliminary hearing had been postponed.

Layne said, “The whole thing is frustrating for them just in terms of victims being caught in the process. It’s a very difficult time for them, but this was the first step towards justice for them.”

The judge did find probable cause to bound over this case to a grand jury, who will decide whether or not to indict Goodine.

His defense attorney did ask for his bond to be reduced from three million dollars, but the judge refused to do so.

Goodine, according to our archives, had previously been acquitted of misconduct while being a Chattanooga Police Officer in 2008.