Daughter of fallen East TN deputy pens children's book honoring father's legacy
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Just over one year after the tragedy on-duty death of Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan, a new children's book has been released to honor his legacy and the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers.
'One Step Further' was written by McCowan's daughter Cayley, who told 6 News she developed the book to help her young daughter better understand the loss of grandfather.
Sheriff's office remembers Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan 1 year after fatal shooting
'I gave her the opportunity to understand, not only for her but it's helped me through this hard time,' said Cayley McCowan. 'I'm hoping to help other fallen officers' children as well.'
All book proceeds will be donated to the Deputy G. McCowan A Step Further Foundation to send copies to families of fallen law enforcement officers.
The foundation was launched last year to support these families and other initiatives related to law enforcement. Foundation secretary Natalie Willis said that the nonprofit is aiming to fund three college scholarships for high students in Blount County.
Book copies can be purchased on astepfurther344.org and on Amazon.
McCowan, 43, was fatally shot on February 8, 2024 during a traffic stop in Maryville. Suspect Kenneth DeHart was apprehended in Knoxville after nearly five days on the run.
▶ See more top stories on WATE.com
DeHart's trial is scheduled to begin in April of 2026. State prosecutors have said they plan to pursue the death penalty and life without the possibility of parole.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chicago man gets 25 years for armed gas station robbery, high-speed chase: prosecutors
The Brief Willie Carter, 25, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery with a firearm; he had been out on parole for less than two months for a prior armed robbery. The robbery occurred Jan. 30 at a Speedway gas station in Addison, where Carter and a co-defendant allegedly held a clerk and customer at gunpoint before fleeing and leading police on a high-speed chase. A loaded Glock with an extended magazine was found in the suspects' vehicle, and DuPage County prosecutors say the sentence reflects zero tolerance for violent crimes targeting innocent workers. ADDISON, Ill. - A Chicago man accused of robbing a suburban gas station at gunpoint was sentenced to 25 years in prison, prosecutors said. What we know Willie Carter, 25, pleaded guilty March 13 to one count of armed robbery with a firearm, a Class X felony, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. Carter had been out on parole for less than two months for a previous armed robbery when he committed the latest offense. The state asked for a 40-year sentence within the sentencing range of 21 to 60 years. Carter has been held at the DuPage County Jail since his first court appearance on Jan. 31, where the court granted the state's motion to detain him pretrial. Carter's co-defendant, Anton Stephens, 25, faces three counts of armed robbery with a firearm, one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer. Stephens remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court July 22. The backstory The charges stem from a Jan. 30 incident at a Speedway gas station in Addison. Police said a Villa Park officer spotted a vehicle suspected of being involved in an earlier armed robbery and followed it onto I-290 and then Lake Street. Two men identified as Carter and Stephens entered the gas station. Prosecutors said one man stuffed cigarettes into a garbage bag while the other held a gun to a female clerk, demanding she open the cash register. The clerk was unable to comply because the register was rebooting. A male customer entered the store during the robbery and was ordered to the floor at gunpoint, the state's attorney said. One suspect allegedly stole the customer's wallet. The suspects then fled in their vehicle, sparking a high-speed chase involving about 20 police vehicles from multiple jurisdictions. The chase reached speeds of over 100 mph and ended when the suspects crashed into a marked police car and fled on foot. Both were arrested within blocks of the crash, prosecutors said. Police found a loaded Glock 22 pistol with an extended magazine in the vehicle. What they're saying "Mr. Carter's twenty-five-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections sends a loud and clear message that robbing at gunpoint an innocent person who was working the midnight shift trying to make an honest living will not be tolerated in DuPage County," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said. "There is no place in civilized society for Mr. Carter's behavior and today's sentence ensures Mr. Carter will be unable to prey upon society for a significant amount of time. I thank Assistant State's Attorneys Denis Cahil and Kristin Sullivan for their work in holding Mr. Carter responsible for his criminal actions."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Oklahoma A.G. warning residents about bail payment scam
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is warning residents about a recent scam regarding fake arrest warrants and posting preemptive bail at virtual currency kiosks. According to the A.G.'s Office, the scam appeared in Tulsa where a scammer claimed to be from the federal public defender's office and sent fake arrest warrants to multiple senior citizens. They have also claimed to be law enforcement officers. The fraudulent warrants have been sent through email and text messages. LOCAL NEWS: Service Oklahoma warns residents of text scam 'Oklahomans need to stay vigilant protecting themselves from unscrupulous thieves out to steal money and exploit personal information,' Drummond said. 'Consumers should always be skeptical of unsolicited communication and are encouraged to report scam attempts to law enforcement.' Drummond is reminding consumers: Arrest warrants are not served by phone, email or mail. Government agencies do not send unsolicited requests for personal information or demand money. Government agencies do not accept payment of fines, court costs or bonds through cryptocurrency. Requests to utilize cryptocurrency kiosks or drop off large amount of currency are red flags. Individuals can contact law enforcement agencies and court systems to verify the legitimacy of any claims. To learn more or report a scam, you can contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit toll free at 833-681-1895 or consumperprotection@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Authorities believe they spotted ex-soldier Travis Decker, who is wanted in deaths of 3 daughters
SEATTLE (AP) — Authorities say they believe they spotted Travis Decker, an ex-soldier wanted in the deaths of his three daughters, in the remote backcountry of Washington state, after receiving a tip from hikers who said they saw a lone person who appeared to be ill-prepared for the conditions. The Chelan County Sheriff's office said in a Facebook post Tuesday that tracking teams responded immediately, and a helicopter crew spotted a lone, off-trail hiker near Colchuk Lake, in a popular Cascade Range backpacking area called The Enchantments. The lone hiker ran from sight as the helicopter passed, the sheriff's office said. Teams later found a trail, and K-9 teams tracked the person to the area of the Ingalls Creek Trailhead, south of Leavenworth. Authorities did not say when they spotted the subject, but late Monday night they issued an alert for residents in the Ingalls Creek and the Valleyhi community to lock homes and vehicles and to be on the lookout for Decker. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. Authorities in Washington state are focusing their search for an ex-soldier wanted in the deaths of his three young daughters in an area south of where their bodies were discovered more than a week ago. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office issued an alert Monday night for an area near Ingalls Creek and the Valleyhi community, a small neighborhood about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Leavenworth. The alert remained in effect Tuesday. Authorities did not specify what prompted them to focus on that area, beyond saying 'he is believed to potentially be in this area.' 'Residents and visitors are urged to secure homes and vehicles, remain vigilant, and report any suspicious activity to 911,' the alert said. 'A heightened law enforcement presence will persist as a precautionary measure.' Investigators have been looking for Travis Caleb Decker, 32, since the night of May 30, when he failed to return the girls to their mother's home in Wenatchee, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Seattle, after a scheduled visit. Three days later, a sheriff's deputy discovered the bodies of 9-year-old Paityn Decker, 8-year-old Evelyn Decker and 5-year-old Olivia Decker down an embankment at the Rock Island Campground west of Leavenworth. The site is about 11 miles (18 kilometers) from the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from the U.S.-Mexico border to the U.S.-Canada border, and it is connected to the newly focused search area by backcountry trails. Decker was an infantryman in the U.S. Army from March 2013 to July 2021 and deployed to Afghanistan for four months in 2014. He has training in navigation, survival and other skills, authorities said. He once spent more than two months living in the backwoods off the grid. Officials have searched hundreds of square miles, much of it mountainous and remote, by land, water and air. Last September, his ex-wife, Whitney Decker, wrote in a petition to modify their parenting plan that his mental health issues had worsened and that he had become increasingly unstable, often living out of his truck. She sought to restrict him from having overnight visits with the girls until he found housing. An autopsy on Friday determined the cause of death to be suffocation, the sheriff's office said. The girls had been bound with zip ties and had plastic bags placed over their heads.
