Cold Case Unit – Recently Closed Investigations
Marjorie Ewing
Murdered on/about December 27, 1980
Case Closed by Arrest July 8, 2009
Marjorie Ewing, 24, was last seen Dec. 27, 1980, by co-workers at Krystal’s.
On March 23rd, 1981, a woman’s skull, jaw and three cervical vertebrae were found on Stones River National Battlefield. Months later the skull was identified as Marjorie Ewing.
Investigators focused on her husband, 23-year-old Charles B. Ewing. But with no witnesses and little physical evidence the case went cold.
Arrest
Sharp and Goodwin located new witnesses with key information and admissions from Charles B. Ewing and his late co-worker, Owen Gerald Andrews. Ewing was arrested July 8, 2009, and confessed to murdering and dismembering Marjorie. Forty-two days later he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He will first be eligible for a parole hearing in August 2023.
Christi & Bobby Baskin
Kidnapped March 1, 1989
Case Closed by Arrest February 2, 2009
On March 1, 1989 Christi Baskin, age 8, and her younger brother Bobby Baskin, age 7, were last seen in the company of their maternal grandparents Marvin L. Maple and Sandra K. Maple. The children who were in the custody of the Maple’s and were to be returned to the parents by court order when the Maples left the state of TN. Multiple sightings of the children were reported after Unsolved Mysteries aired a segment on the abduction. The appointed legal guardian of the children obtained warrants on the Maples for kidnapping on March 12, 1989. Warrants were handed over to the RCSO on March 15, 1989 Leads were followed up in several states. Authorities feel that the Maples are being assisted by family members and are asking for help in this investigation. 
Arrest
Detectives Sharp and Goodwin received information from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children of a possible sighting in San Diego CA. in 1999. Detectives contacted reporter Debbi Baker of the San Diego Union Tribune and requested her help with this case. Baker wrote a story on the children which resulted in new information. February 2, 2009 Detectives after receiving new information and making positive identification arrested Marvin Maple in San Jose, CA with the assistance of the San Jose Police Department. Maple had taken the name of John Bunting. Sandra Maple who died in 2005 had been using the name of Frances Bunting. The children were going by the names of Jennifer and Jonathan Bunting. Maple pled guilty to two counts of Custodial interference.
Errastus “Gene” Stump
Murdered on/about March 29, 1982
Case Closed by Arrest April 30, 2008
A Thompson & Green co-worker and friend told Stump’s family, friends and fellow employees that the 32-year-old father of two left town with unknown persons the night of March 29, 1982. His decomposing body was found April 28, 1982, near the end of South Lamar Road on Corps of Engineer’s property at J. Percy Priest Reservoir.
Manner and cause of death was determined to be homicide by gunshot wound to the head. Detectives quickly identified it as Stump by a Little League baseball team roster and personalized cigarette lighter found at the scene. The primary suspect was Thompson and Green Machine co-worker Randy Ray McFarlin, but with no witnesses the murder case went cold.
Arrest
Goodwin and Sharp located five witnesses to whom McFarlin (whose name is now Mac Ray MacFarlane) admitted the murder over the years. McFarlin/MacFarlane was arrested at his job in Bristol, Tenn., on April 31, 2008. He is in custody and awaiting trial for the pre-meditated murder of Errastus Gene Stump.
Status: Randy Ray McFarlin/McFarlane was found guilty of first-degree murder in January 2009.
Laura Salmon
Murdered on May 31, 1984
Case Closed by Arrest November 13, 2001
On May 31, 1984 Laura Salmon 18 finished her work shift at the Kroger store on South Tenn. Blvd. Murfreesboro TN. Laura was last seen leaving the Kroger’s store parking lot for a scheduled appointment at Middle Tennessee State University. Laura was driving a beige colored 1976 Old’s Cutlass.
At approximately 5:45 pm the body of Laura Salmon was discovered in a secluded part of Rutherford County. Salmon had been beaten with rocks. Several suspects were questioned but no arrests were made.
Arrest - Update
David Kyle Gilley, 35, of Palmetto FL. was arrested November 13, 2001 for the 1984 murder of Laura Salmon. At the time of the murder Gilley was the 17 year ex-boyfriend of Laura Salmon. Gilley was convicted on August 4, 2006 for the first degree murder of Laura Salmon. Gilley was sentenced to life in prison. Gilley is not eligible for parole until September 2042.
After the verdict in the Salmon Case
Sitting (Lt-Rt) DA Bill Whitsell, Lt. Bill Sharp
Standing (Lt-Rt) Neal Rigsby, ADA J.Paul Newman, Nick Rigsby, Sheila Freeze and Sgt. Dan Goodwin
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