Cecil Cochran Charged With Fatally Stabbing Tanelle Simmons Inside Nashville Store

From the City of Nashville:

June 13, 2021

Cecil Cochran, 62, is charged with criminal homicide for Saturday’s 8:40 p.m. fatal stabbing of Tanelle Simmons, 39, inside Northwest Liquors, 1613 Buchanan Street.

Simmons entered the store and was followed a short time later by Cochran who was armed with a knife. He approached Simmons, who was attempting to back away from him, when he lunged at her, stabbing her multiple times in the upper body. A citizen alerted a nearby officer who located Cochran sitting in his vehicle outside the store. He was taken into custody. The knife was recovered.

Simmons was transported to Vanderbilt Medical Center where she died.

During an interview, Cochran admitted that he followed Simmons, with whom he was reportedly in a dating relationship, into the liquor store where he confronted her and stabbed her.

The police department has no prior reports of disputes between the two.

Cecil Cochran, 62

This press release was produced by the City of Nashville. The views expressed here are the author’s own.