Three Arrested After Body Discovered Near Newfound Gap in Great Smoky Mountains
By Marge | Published 2025-12-29T15:26:24.233+00:00
News
Cherokee -- December 29, 2025: A Cherokee man is dead and three individuals are in custody following a violent shooting and a cross-jurisdictional investigation that led authorities from a local residence to the heights of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) has identified the victim as Thomas Pheasant Jr. According to investigators, the fatal incident occurred at a residence on Galimore Road in Cherokee during the late hours of Friday, Dec. 19, or the early morning of Saturday, Dec. 20.Discovery and RecoveryThe investigation began Saturday afternoon after CIPD detectives received a tip regarding a shooting at an unknown location. Through intensive investigative work, officers determined that Pheasant had