Kara Akins spent her final moments running outside the home she shared with Lawrence Goodine, screaming "Help!" as the former Chattanooga police officer chased her down and dragged her back inside. By the time officers arrived at her Carr Street residence on Nov. 29, 2023, the 48-year-old woman was dead — the victim of blunt force trauma and manual strangulation, according to court testimony.
Background
Goodine and Akins had a mutual no-contact order in place stemming from a domestic violence incident approximately one month before her death, prosecutors said during the five-day trial. Goodine, 46, had previously worked for the Chattanooga Police Department but was terminated after being accused of stealing and extortion — allegations that were later cleared, according to testimony.
The Ring doorbell camera at Akins' home captured critical evidence of the attack. Footage showed Goodine pursuing Akins as she fled outside, pulling her back into the residence before the violence unfolded. After beating and strangling her to death, prosecutors alleged Goodine spent several hours covering up his crimes.
"She was all love and she was true to herself to the very end and even with her abuser she tried to have the most patience with him and said, all the time, he's a good person with a bad anger issue," Akins' sister, April Lamothe, told WRCB following the verdict. "I want her to remember like how loving she was."
The Investigation
When officers responded to Goodine's 911 call reporting an unresponsive woman at the residence, he immediately attempted to redirect their investigation. According to prosecutors, Goodine repeatedly told arriving detectives that "she took something" and tried to convince them Akins had died of a drug overdose.
Investigators soon uncovered evidence of a staged scene. Prosecutors described how Goodine moved Akins' body across the living room, rearranged her arms, and photographed her remains in an apparent attempt to fabricate circumstances suggesting her death was accidental or drug-related.
The medical examiner's findings contradicted his narrative — determining that blunt force trauma combined with manual strangulation caused Akins' death. Ring camera footage, autopsy results, and Goodine's own statements to police formed the foundation of the prosecution's case.
Key Takeaways
- Lawrence Goodine, a former Chattanooga Police Department officer, was convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and tampering with evidence in the death of 48-year-old Kara Akins
- Ring doorbell camera footage captured Goodine chasing Akins as she fled outside screaming "Help!" before he dragged her back inside
- After killing her, Goodine spent hours staging the scene — moving her body, rearranging her arms, and taking photographs — then claimed she died of a drug overdose
- The victim had a mutual no-contact order against Goodine stemming from a domestic violence incident one month prior to her murder
- Jurors deliberated approximately seven hours before returning the guilty verdict
- Several members of Akins' family attended the trial and expressed relief at the conviction
What's Next
While Goodine received an automatic life sentence for his first-degree murder conviction, Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Laura K. Smith will determine his sentences on the remaining counts at a hearing scheduled for Oct. 22. The additional charges include aggravated kidnapping and tampering with evidence.