From the Knoxville Police Department:

51-year-old Fernando Carerra has been charged with voluntary manslaughter after a man died from an apparent assault in south Knoxville.

At around 9:20 a.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2025, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to 211 W. Young High Pike, where 57-year-old James Phipps was found unresponsive in the rear parking lot of that location and suffering from numerous blunt force injuries. Phipps was transported to the UT Medical Center and later pronounced dead.

A witness provided responding officers with a suspect description, and the suspect was located a short time later with the assistance of Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputies on Chapman Highway. The suspect, who was identified as Carerra, was detained for questioning.

Through continued investigation, KPD Homicide Unit detectives learned that Carerra and Phipps were known to one another and got into a physical altercation, possibly due to a prior dispute.

Carerra was subsequently taken into custody for voluntary manslaughter.

The incident remains under active investigation at this time.