Former Nashville police official dies in custody on homicide charges while awaiting hearing
An elderly former Nashville assistant police chief died Feb. 20 while awaiting a court hearing on homicide charges, the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office announced.
The former Metro Nashville assistant police chief, 87-year-old John Sorace, had faced reckless homicide charges accusing him of shooting and killing his wife Feb. 9 at their home near Murfreesboro, court records show.
Deputies booked Sorace at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on a $700,000 bond, sheriff's spokeswoman Lisa Marchesoni previously confirmed.
Sorace died after a 13-day hospital stay for a pre-existing illness, according to the press release from sheriff's spokeswoman Lisa Marchesoni.
Sheriff's Jail Administrator Kevin Henderson said Sorace was admitted to the hospital for medical issues Feb. 7, according to the press release.
'He was in custody at the hospital,' Henderson said in the press release. 'A deputy was there the entire time.'
Incarceration: Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh hires Kevin Henderson as deputy chief over Rutherford County jail
Chief Deputy Keith Lowery said the Sorace family was notified and asked for palliative care, according to the press release.
District Attorney Jennings Jones said the case would be closed because of Sorace's death, the press release added.
A criminal hearing had been reset for Sorace as part of an 8:31 a.m. March 17 docket in General Sessions Court before Judge Lisa Eischeid at the Rutherford County Judicial Center in downtown Murfreesboro, online Rutherford Circuit Court records show.
Sorace had representation by a public defender, according to the court records.
Court records list the victim's name as Sharon Sorace.
"The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the neck," states a case warrant filed Jan. 13 through General Sessions Court by Rutherford County Sheriff's Detective Christian Wrather.
Homicide: Warrant shows ex-Nashville assistant police chief charged in wife's shooting death
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Former Nashville police official dies in custody on homicide charges
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