Ollis Update: Police review infant’s ’08 death
Matthew Hundley / (matthew.hundley@averyjournal.com)
Could the death of Jacob Ollis’ daughter in 2008 shed light on the death of his son in 2011?
Investigators with Elizabethton Police Department seem to think so, as they began re-examining evidence in the death of Ollis’ daughter in 2008, which took place in Carter County, Tenn. At the time, the death was ruled accidental, but similarities with the Dec. 21, 2011, death of Ollis’ six-week-old son, for which he is now facing second-degree murder charges, caused Captain Michael Merritt with Elizabethton Police Department to take a closer look.
“We are attempting to gather any additional information we can at this point in time,” said Merritt, who explained that no new evidence has been uncovered that could lead to new charges. “Without some new information being developed, there probably will not be any charges in this county. If there is evidence of a crime here, then we will want to try to pursue the charges, but at this point in time, it does not appear that is the case.”
According to Merritt, his focus in reexamining the death in 2008 is not to bring new charges, but to assist Avery County Sheriff’s Office as it pursues its own charges.
“We want to make sure that anything we might know, that we might have or that we might have uncovered in our investigation is available to aid Avery County in their investigation,” said Merritt. “It is about the need and the desire to make sure we were thorough in everything, and take the opportunity to interview the mother again, who was the only person in the residence when the child passed away; to see if there might be something that might aid us, or anything thing that we need to take a look at.”
Merritt emphasized that the renewed investigation has not uncovered any new facts, but, given the case in Avery County, the Carter County investigation will continue.
“We have not discovered anything that was overlooked,” said Merritt. “We want to be thorough in every investigation that we conduct. When you have the death of a child like that, it is a tragic thing, and we want to make sure that we have done everything that we could.”
Investigators with Elizabethton Police Department seem to think so, as they began re-examining evidence in the death of Ollis’ daughter in 2008, which took place in Carter County, Tenn. At the time, the death was ruled accidental, but similarities with the Dec. 21, 2011, death of Ollis’ six-week-old son, for which he is now facing second-degree murder charges, caused Captain Michael Merritt with Elizabethton Police Department to take a closer look.
“We are attempting to gather any additional information we can at this point in time,” said Merritt, who explained that no new evidence has been uncovered that could lead to new charges. “Without some new information being developed, there probably will not be any charges in this county. If there is evidence of a crime here, then we will want to try to pursue the charges, but at this point in time, it does not appear that is the case.”
According to Merritt, his focus in reexamining the death in 2008 is not to bring new charges, but to assist Avery County Sheriff’s Office as it pursues its own charges.
“We want to make sure that anything we might know, that we might have or that we might have uncovered in our investigation is available to aid Avery County in their investigation,” said Merritt. “It is about the need and the desire to make sure we were thorough in everything, and take the opportunity to interview the mother again, who was the only person in the residence when the child passed away; to see if there might be something that might aid us, or anything thing that we need to take a look at.”
Merritt emphasized that the renewed investigation has not uncovered any new facts, but, given the case in Avery County, the Carter County investigation will continue.
“We have not discovered anything that was overlooked,” said Merritt. “We want to be thorough in every investigation that we conduct. When you have the death of a child like that, it is a tragic thing, and we want to make sure that we have done everything that we could.”