Police: Jason Dockery admits to murder of Anderson County woman

ANDERSON CO., Tenn. (WVLT) - Jason Dockery was arrested Thursday afternoon by local and federal law enforcement officers in Union County.

Court records show that Dockery has now been charged with First Degree Murder in the death of 38-year-old Shysti Renea Mayberry.

The murder warrant filed with the court on Friday said that just before 1:30 P.M. on Wednesday, September 12 Dockery was in a Red Chevy Sonic with the victim and a 21-month-old child in a car seat also in the car.

The investigator said in the court documents that Dockery drove to the intersection of East Wolf Valley Drive and Moores Gap Road and brandished a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and then shot the victim while she was still seated in the car with the child in the backseat. The victim attempted to flee exiting the car but offices said that Dockery continued firing at the victim until killing her.

Police say that Dockery then fled in his car with the 21-month-old, and at some point, Dockery dropped off the child in Union County.

When Dockery was arrested in Union County on Thursday police said they took a 9mm semi-automatic handgun from Dockery.

In the murder warrant filed with the court investigators say during the interview with Dockery he confessed.

Dockery was arranged in on the murder charge in Anderson County General Sessions court on Friday, The Judge set a $2 million bond and Dockery’s next court date will be September 27

for plea negotiations or hearing before the court.

Dockery was also wanted for violation of probation from Sevier Co. and felony evading, reckless endangerment, child abuse neglect and endangerment and multiple traffic offenses in Claiborne Co., according to officials with the Anderson Co. Sheriff’s Office.

WVLT News spoke with Union County Sheriff Billy Breeding who said Dockery was walking on the side of the road when two deputies saw him and arrested him without incident.

“I’m just glad the incident ended without injury to anyone,” Breeding said. “He was compliant.”

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A manhunt for a murder suspect has now centered once again in East Tennessee after U.S. Marshals confirmed that Jason Dockery has recently been in Union County.

The latest post from East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers says that Dockery could also possibly be in the Knoxville or Clinton areas.

According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Dockery was in the car with 38-year-old Shysti Renea Mayberry when the car came to a stop alongside Moores Gap Road in Heiskell. Mayberry was shot multiple times outside of the car, and Dockery left the scene in the car, according to investigators.

After the shooting, investigators with ACSO said Dockery dropped off a small child in Union County.

“We don’t know if the child was in the car at the time of the incident. Regardless we have reason to believe he had a child and dropped the child off in the Union County area. We’re still trying to piece that part together as well,” said Capt. Shain Vowell with ACSO.

It’s unclear who the child belonged to but investigators said the child was unharmed and is now safe.

Vowell said that at this point Dockery was spotted in Claiborne County which is when he took law enforcement on a chase to Lee County, Virginia where he abandoned his car and evaded investigators for hours.

As of late Wednesday night, U.S. Marshals said that a man gave Dockery a ride back to Union Co. without knowing who the hitchhiker was at the time. After Dockery was dropped off, marshals said that the driver realized who Dockery was and called the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

“He (Dockery) may be reaching out to his contacts for assistance. We will fully prosecute anyone who knowingly provides him assistance,” said a U.S. Marshals spokesperson.

Dockery is presumed armed and dangerous, and if you know of his whereabouts you’re asked to call 911.

The relationship between Dockery and Mayberry is still being investigated by ACSO along with details into what led to shots being fired.

Dockery has a criminal history in East Tennessee ranging from burglary, theft, breaking and entering, and aggravated assault.

U.S. Marshals are offering a $5,000 reward for anyone with credible information.

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