On July 6, 2025, at approximately 7:15 a.m., Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a shooting at an apartment complex on Howard Baker Jr. Avenue, where they found 48-year-old Michael Velazquez dead from at least one gunshot wound.

Following an investigation, 28-year-old Wayne Parham of Knoxville was charged with second-degree murder for allegedly shooting Velazquez after a dispute. Parham remains at large, and efforts to locate him are ongoing.

The Knoxville Police Department’s Homicide Unit continues to investigate, and authorities are urging anyone with information on Parham’s whereabouts to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165, where tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.