ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. – A Carter County man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death and alleged concealment of the body of another man in a remote area of Hampton. The body was discovered inside a buried freezer on Wednesday.
Joey Guinn, 46, faces charges of murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence after being taken into custody on Wednesday for the death of Edward Elliott, 64. Search teams found Elliott’s body off a secluded road in Hampton. Guinn’s arrest came after an investigation and interviews initiated in early April.
Friends and family of Elliott reported him missing on March 31, stating they had not heard from him since late January. Carter County Sheriff’s investigators, prompted by various interviews, focused on Guinn after receiving a tip placing Elliott at Guinn’s residence on Mike Clawson Road in Hampton.
According to an affidavit for Guinn’s arrest, an anonymous tip revealed that Guinn and another individual violently beat Elliott outside Guinn’s residence. Two witnesses reported seeing the altercation, with one recalling the event occurring at the end of January or early February and the other in early to mid-February.
Witnesses described a violent scene where Guinn and the other individual were seen kicking Elliott as he pleaded with them. Investigators deployed a cadaver dog at Guinn’s property, which detected an odor consistent with human decay. Subsequently, human remains believed to be Elliott were discovered inside a buried freezer.
Guinn is currently detained at the Carter County Detention Center on a $5 million bond. He was arraigned on Thursday afternoon. The discovery of the body has brought closure to the investigation into Elliott’s disappearance and alleged murder.