A 17-year-old girl was allegedly shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend when she tried to get away from him on the night of Tuesday, December 16.
The Dickson Police Department confirmed that Taylor ShyAnn Ratterree was picked up by her ex-boyfriend, Hunter Jackson, when she left work around 8 p.m. As they reached a traffic light and Ratterree tried to exit the car, Jackson, 18, made sure she was unable to and he allegedly shot her.
Police found Ratterree near the intersection of Highway 70 East and Henslee Drive when they “initially responded to a report of a reckless driver, followed by a report of an accident,” according to WKRN. Once authorities arrived at the scene, they took the injured woman to Skyline Medical Center. She ultimately died from the injuries she sustained from being shot.
Jackson was later arrested at a home in White Bluff and was booked into the Dickson County Jail around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, December 17. He has been charged with first-degree murder and is currently being held in jail on a $3 million bond.
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Police said that they recovered a handgun from Jackson, which they believe he used in the shooting. It is not currently clear if Jackson has entered a plea or has obtained legal representation.
Jackson is set to appear in the Dickson County General Sessions Court on January 20, 2026.
It’s believed that Jackson and Ratterree broke up shortly before the incident.
The Dickson Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment.
Following Ratterree’s death, her friend and coworker, Hayla Skelton, shared insight into what the victim was like while talking to WSMV.
“She has a beautiful personality. She’s very happy all the time. She never seems to have a dull moment,” Skelton said.
Skelton saw Ratterree for the last time when she was leaving work on the night of her murder. She explained that she noticed police lights on Henslee Drive that evening but only learned about Ratterree’s death the following day.
“It was very sad. It was very just, like, a wow moment. You just have to kind of sit and think, like, that’s someone you know that is no longer here with us,” she said.
Skelton went on to share that the senseless tragedy is heartbreaking for the entire community, as the town has experienced one homicide per year in the last three years.
“It’s definitely a wake-up call that you need to always watch who you’re around, be careful,” Skelton said. “You never know how a person actually is.”
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If Jackson is convicted of the first-degree murder charge, he could be sentenced to life in prison with parole after 51 years, life without parole or the death penalty. His sentencing will ultimately be determined by the factors and specifics of the case.
Tennessee is one of the states that still does implement the death penalty, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Three people were executed in the state in 2025, including Wayne Nichols, Oscar Franklin Smith and Byron Lewis Black.
