Hardin Co. man charged with second-degree murder after beating former tenant to death

HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — A Hardin County man has been charged with second-degree murder after beating his former tenant to death.

Hardin County Sheriff Johnny Alexander says Daniel Oakley and Brian Tucker lived at a mobile home in Walnut Grove, just six miles north of the state line, for almost eight months.

And then things took a turn.

“From what I understand, Mr. Oakley had given Mr. Tucker an eviction notice that he wanted him out of the residence,” Alexander said.

Late Wednesday night, Tucker returned to the mobile home on Highway 69, and he and Oakley got into a fight.

“When officers arrived, they found a Brian Keith Tucker laying in the front yard bleeding profusely from the face,” Alexander said.

Officials say Oakley used a propane tank and 2-by-2 stick to beat his former tenant.

“Tucker did succumb to his injuries, and after our investigation, we ended up charging Daniel Oakley with second-degree murder,” Alexander said.

Now Tucker’s family is left cleaning up the things he left at the home that he was supposed to move out Thursday.

“He was very excited about moving to his new place,” said Tucker’s cousin Hunter Bellis. “He was ready to get out of here. But unfortunately, it ended the wrong way.”

“I don’t wish anything bad on that fellow. I just wish it hadn’t happened the way it happened,” Bellis said.

“There’s nothing we can do about that now,” Bellis said. “All we can do is mourn the loss and look at this and make this be a lesson to the people in West Tennessee and people in the United States that when you have an issue like this, you go to your law enforcement.”

Tucker’s family says he served in the army and was a proud veteran.

Oakley has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held at the Hardin County Jail in lieu of a $500,000 bond.