RHEA COUNTY WOMAN SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS FOR 2ND-DEGREE MURDER
The Herald-News in Rhea County reports that Kayla Tinsley, was recently sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the 2022 fentanyl overdose death of Hailey Green from Pikeville.
Tinsley must serve the full 100 percent of her sentence without early release eligibility. The case stemmed from an incident in August 2022, when Pikeville police responded to a hospital call and discovered Green deceased from an apparent overdose. With assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the 12th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office, investigators determined that Tinsley had distributed the fentanyl that directly caused Green’s death.
In April 2024, a Rhea County Grand Jury indicted Tinsley on one count of second-degree murder and three counts of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance for resale, leading to her arrest and booking into the Rhea County Jail on a $450,000 bond.
Her guilty plea was entered on January 29 (likely 2026, based on the recent sentencing reported around February 2026).
