Suspect in Chattanooga stabbing death charged with murder

Chattanooga, Tennessee(WDEF) – A man with a criminal rap-sheet more than six pages long is now facing a charge of first degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Police arrested Wendell Mitchell, 41, of Chattanooga in connection to the July 27 murder of  Jeffery Jackson, 23.

It happened inside a court yard at the East Lake housing development.

According to the arrest report, a witness saw Jackson come to the aid of an elderly man who was being chocked by Mitchell. That led to a physical altercation between Jackson and Mitchell but the two men eventually stopped and walked away.

At some point after the altercation, another witness saw Jackson running from Mitchell then the witness told police he saw Jackson pick up a chair then drop it. He then saw Jackson drop to the ground. The witness said he ran up to Jackson and said the victim told him Mitchell stuck him.

Nearly an hour after Jackson was taken to the hospital, he was pronounced dead from a stab wound to the left side of his chest.

Witnesses identified the killer as Wendell Mitchell.

When detectives went to Mitchell’s mother’s house, they found him hiding behind a bathroom door.

Mitchell was taken to police headquarters where he refused to talk.

Mitchell is now being held in the Hamilton County jail on a $1,000,000 Bond.

This isn’t his first run-in with the law. Mitchell has a an extensive criminal record that includes felony convictions that dates back to the early 90’s.