NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A man is facing several charges after bringing his deceased mother’s body wrapped in a tarp to the Nashville VA Medical Center, according to an arrest warrant from Metro police.
The warrant states 37-year-old Thomas Henshall brought his mother’s body to the VA Medical Center on 24th Avenue South on Saturday around 5:19 p.m.
His mother’s body was wrapped in a tarp in the back of his truck at the time. Henshall was with his girlfriend and he stated his mother had committed suicide.
Medics from the Metro Nashville Fire Department arrived on scene and confirmed the victim was dead. Both Henshall and his girlfriend were taken to MNPD Headquarters where they both waived their rights and spoke with homicide detectives.
Henshall’s girlfriend told detectives he’d called her Friday and again on Saturday sounding extremely distraught. The warrant states he then went to his girlfriend’s residence and told her he’d found his mother in the woods, she was dead and they needed to take her somewhere.
Henshall told his girlfriend his mother was in the back of his truck and he had been with her for a long time. The warrant states he and his girlfriend both stopped for food, gas and coffee before driving to the VA Medical Center in Chattanooga, realizing it was closed.
They then took the victim’s body across state lines, passing multiple hospitals and police precincts, located in Davidson County.
They drove to the Nashville VA Medical Center under false pretenses that the victim had committed suicide and to get her help, according to the warrant. Henshall crossed state lines with the victim’s body wrapped up in a tarp, knowing that she was already deceased and had been for an extended period of time.
The warrant states Henshall failed to report discovering his mother’s body. It also states he touched, altered, and concealed the victim’s body, clothing and personal effects. All of this is evidence in the investigation.
During the interview with detectives, Henshall stated he was right next to the victim when she shot herself. However, he had told his girlfriend that he discovered his mother in the woods. The defendant stated that he had secured the gun in his RV. He told investigators his RV was somewhere in the woods near a lake in Chattanooga and would not give anymore details.
When asked about his cell phone, Henshall said he left it in Chattanooga. In the warrant, detectives said this is false because he had sent an email to his girlfriend from his cell phone while he was with her earlier in the day. Detectives listened to the recording attached to said email in which the victim is heard saying, “He’s not accountable for anything. He’s agreed to put me out of my misery.”
When asked how the victim obtained the gun, Henshall invoked his Miranda Rights. He is being charged with tampering with evidence, removing or disturbing a body and failure to report the discovery of a dead body based on the facts presented.
These charges only extend within the venue of Davidson County. Homicide detectives have been in contact with the Chattanooga Police Department. No other information was immediately released.
