New Clues in the Goetcheus Brothers Murder in 1997

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF-TV) It’s been almost 20 years, but the Hamilton County D.A.’s office has released new information on the brutal murder of two brothers at their Brainerd home.
District Attorney General Neal Pinkston is asking for help from the public to close the cold case on the Goetcheus brothers.

This coming Saturday, January 9, will mark 19 years since Sean and Donnie Goetcheus were found executed inside their Brainerd home.
Solving that mystery and bringing someone to justice is at the top of the list for the Cold Case team that operates out of the D.A.’s office.

NEAL PINKSTON, HAMILTON CO., DISTRICT ATTORNEY GENERAL "I’m nervous because we’re very close to identifying the suspects that killed Sean and Donny, and, but we need the public’s help."

The focus of the investigation has changed to 19 year old Donny who, as a skateboarder, hung out at a building where drug dealers congregated.

NEAL PINKSTON "In the original investigation, Sean was perceived as the target..maybe of why the homicides occurred, but we have reliable information..received reliable information for the last several months..year, that indicates that Donny may be the target of why these homicides occurred."

But investigators also want to identify a mysterious woman that 25 year old Sean was trying to help find an auto part in the days leading up to the murders.
That woman was driving a Honda CRX that needed a taillight.

The boys’ father, David Goetcheus, is struggling with serious health problems, but he hopes the case can be solved in his lifetime.

DAVID GOETCHEUS, FATHER OF SEAN AND DONNY "Please, please come forward now. Please come forward and come to the cold case unit…their number…and come and tell them the information you have."

JULENNE GOETCHEUS, MOTHER "I don’t believe in the word closure, because there will never be closure, but justice..I really feel that justice would give us a measure of peace."

D.A. Pinkston says the case is focused on suspects in Hamilton and Marion Counties.

A reward totaling 21-thousand dollars has been posted for information that will help close the case.
Governor Bill Haslam and a private donor put up 10-thousand dollars each, and Crime Stoppers is offering a thousand dollars.