Photo Courtesy of Tennessee Dept. of Corrections
Tony Von Carruthers sits on Tennessee’s death row, convicted of one of Memphis’ most shocking crimes. In 1994, prosecutors say he and an accomplice buried three people alive in a cemetery. The case has sparked debate for years, with Carruthers maintaining his innocence.
A Crime Straight Out of a Horror Movie
The victims—Delois Anderson, her son Marcellous, and his friend Frederick Tucker—were all familiar with Carruthers. Prosecutors allege that Carruthers lured them to Rose Hill Cemetery and attacked them. Two were shot, one was strangled, but none of their wounds were fatal.
Instead, the real horror came later. The prosecution argued that the victims were still alive when they were buried in a shallow grave. To make matters worse, a coffin was placed on top of them. When investigators exhumed the bodies, they found evidence of suffocation. The medical examiner reported dirt impacted in one victim’s nose and mouth, proving they had died in the grave.
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A Trial Full of Drama
Carruthers’ trial was anything but ordinary. He fired multiple court-appointed attorneys, choosing to defend himself. Judge Joseph Daily repeatedly tried to assign him legal representation, but Carruthers refused. Prosecutor Jerry Harris faced an uphill battle against Carruthers’ unpredictable behavior in the courtroom.
Despite his efforts, Carruthers was convicted and sentenced to death. His co-defendant, James Montgomery, also received a death sentence.
A Decades-Long Fight from Death Row
Even behind bars, Carruthers hasn’t stayed quiet. He has spent years filing legal challenges and flooding the courts with documents. He insists he was framed but hasn’t offered a clear explanation of how. Instead, he claims he was prosecuted for political reasons.
During an interview from death row, he remained confident that he would never be executed. “I’m not going to get executed,” he told reporters. “I’m happy.”
Was Justice Served?
Carruthers’ case raises lingering questions. His intelligence is often noted, with one attorney calling him “the most intelligent defendant I have ever represented.” However, his legal battles and refusal to work with attorneys have left some questioning his approach.
While the evidence against him appears overwhelming, Carruthers’ insistence on a setup keeps the discussion alive. Could there be more to the story, or is this just another desperate attempt to avoid execution?
For now, Carruthers remains on death row, where he continues to fight for his life. Whether his execution will ever take place remains uncertain, but his case is one that Tennessee won’t soon forget.
Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a true crime junkie and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and Southern Bred True Crime Junkie. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and fifteen grandchildren.
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