A 57-year-old Tennessee man has been charged with criminal homicide in the killing of his wife, whom authorities say he shot multiple times before calling 911 to confess and describe her body as "dead as fried chicken."
Background
Douglas "Kirk" Rawl and his wife Allison "Che'Che'" Rawl, 52, lived together in the College Grove community of Williamson County, Tennessee. According to investigators, the couple had been sleeping on the couch when an argument erupted after Allison woke her husband.
The confrontation escalated violently in the early morning hours of July 1. Authorities allege that Rawl first attempted to physically harm his wife before resorting to a firearm. The incident occurred at their residence, where deputies from the Williamson County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call shortly after 2 a.m.
"At some point, Mr. Rawl stated that he remembered being on the floor with his arms wrapped around the top of his wife's head," according to an arrest affidavit. "He stated that he was attempting to pull her head off. When this didn't work, he remembered having a gun in his hand and hearing it go off."
The Investigation
Deputies arrived at the Rawl residence to find Douglas Rawl outside, removing his clothing. According to authorities, he advanced toward the first responding deputy despite repeated commands to stop before a Taser was deployed. During the arrest, Rawl allegedly became aggressive and ignored commands, causing him to fall forward and suffer a forehead injury. He was treated before being taken into custody.
During the 911 call, which has been described in court documents, Rawl confessed to killing his wife and made a series of disturbing statements to the dispatcher. When asked why he shot her, Rawl allegedly replied, "I genuinely thought that she was the devil, and I thought that I was the son of God, or even Jesus."
According to investigators, after shooting Allison Rawl initially, Rawl believed he had struck her in the chest and thought she was pretending to be dead. The affidavit states he became enraged and shot her again.
"While he stated he wasn't sure how many more times he shot her or where, he continued to pull the trigger until it made a clicking sound," police wrote in the arrest affidavit.
Investigators said Rawl never attempted to render aid to his wife. Court documents allege that after the shooting, Rawl made additional disturbing statements about consuming part of his wife's body and described tasting her blood.
Key Takeaways
- Douglas "Kirk" Rawl, 57, has been charged with one count of criminal homicide in Williamson County, Tennessee
- The victim, Allison "Che'Che'" Rawl, 52, was found dead at the couple's home in College Grove
- Rawl allegedly called 911 to confess, telling dispatchers his wife was "dead as fried chicken"
- He is being held on $2.5 million bond and has not yet entered a plea
- Authorities say Rawl confessed during the 911 call and later to investigators about the circumstances of the killing
What's Next
Rawl remains in custody pending arraignment. His court date had not been immediately scheduled at the time of this report. The case is being prosecuted by the Williamson County District Attorney's Office, and investigators from the sheriff's office continue their work on the case.
Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to contact the Williamson County Sheriff's Office.