A Roane County jury convicted 25-year-old Traythan Edwards on April 15, 2026, of two counts of Aggravated Kidnapping, along with Domestic Assault, Assault, and Theft. The charges stemmed from a violent incident on Christmas Eve 2022 in Rockwood, Tennessee, where Edwards returned to the home he shared with Sophie Mutta, the mother of his child. An argument quickly escalated into physical violence, during which Edwards held Mutta captive in the home for more than an hour. He prevented her from breathing by covering her mouth and nose, dragged her by the hair across the garage and up the stairs when she tried to escape, and was in possession of a firearm while telling her to “kill yourself or kill me.” Mutta testified that she feared for her life and described the ordeal as terrifying. She eventually escaped out the front door to a car driven by Edwards’ non-biological mother.

Immediately after escaping, Mutta went to the Rockwood Police Department, where she was assisted by Officer Courtney Karlsven (then White). Officers later recovered physical evidence at the home, including two handguns, that supported her account. Edwards initially followed Mutta to the police department but then fled the scene. He was arrested on January 5, 2023. The state case was delayed while Edwards faced federal charges in a multi-county drug conspiracy involving the distribution of fentanyl. He was convicted in federal court and served 18 months in prison, followed by supervised release. Once released from federal custody, he was returned to Roane County under bond to face the kidnapping and related charges.

Aggravated Kidnapping is a Class B felony carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years in prison. At the conclusion of the trial, Judge Jeff Wicks immediately remanded Edwards into the custody of the Roane County Jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026, and faces up to 12 years in state prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jonathan Edwards and Anna Howard, with assistance from Victim Witness Coordinator Tami Legg. The District Attorney’s Office credited the Rockwood Police Department and Officer Courtney Karlsven for their thorough investigation.