Man sentenced for 2017 murder of wife in Benton County

CARROLL COUNTY, Tenn. — In Carroll County General Sessions Court, Derek Grooms was allowed to enter a plea deal and was sentenced for the murder of his wife, Ashley Grooms in Benton County in 2017.

After Grooms entered his plea deal, the judge accepted it and sentenced Grooms on a charge of second degree murder.

“Here I have certainty. I have a certainty that Mr. Grooms is going to spend the next 15 years incarcerated. The court that the defendant’s plea is voluntarily, intelligently and freely made; the plea is accepted,” the judge says.

Amanda Parks, the mother of Ashley Grooms, wrote a 10 page statement addressing Derek Grooms. In it, she expresses her pain.

“And even in death, I still found myself still having to fight for Ashley because that’s what parents do.. And I’m so sorry no one decided to do that for you,” Parks says.

Ashley Grooms leaves behind a young son, who is now under the care of Ashley’s family.

“Jay’s never deserved anything his life has dealt him since 2:30 am November the 3rd 2017, the moment his mother died when at 13 months old you killed his mother in front of him,” Parks says.

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