safety
After years of legal twists, murder charge dismissed in 26-year-old North Nashville case
Summary by The Nashville Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Aaron Cantrell , NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate)
· July 23, 2026
· 2 min read
A special prosecutor dismissed a first-degree murder charge against Calvin Atchison on Thursday, telling the court they could no longer prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The case stretches back 26 years, to when police discovered the body of 30-year-old Velma Tharpe at 12th Avenue North a...
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Nashville Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Original reporting Aaron Cantrell, NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) Original story Read at the source Source published Jul 23, 2026 Indexed here Jul 24, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway The case stretches back 26 years, to when police discovered the body of 30-year-old Velma Tharpe at 12th Avenue North and Meharry in North Nashville.
Why this matters in The Nashville
The dismissal of the murder charge against Calvin Atchison brings a measure of closure to his case, but the question of who killed Velma Tharpe remains a troubling mystery for North Nashville. This case has raised concerns about the reliability of convictions in Davidson County, particularly when it comes to cases involving vulnerable populations like sex workers. The fact that Paul Garrett was wrongly convicted and served years in prison before being cleared by DNA evidence is a stark reminder of the potential for miscarriages of justice. The community will be watching to see how the District Attorney's Office responds to the criticism and controversy surrounding this case, and whether any reforms will be implemented to prevent similar injustices in the future. For now, the family and friends of Velma Tharpe are still left without answers, and the search for justice in her killing continues.
About this story
Original reporting by NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) . The Nashville surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: safety ·
Published: July 23, 2026 ·
Source: NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) ·
Reading time: 2 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A special prosecutor dismissed a first-degree murder charge against Calvin Atchison on Thursday, telling the court they could no longer prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The case stretches back 26 years, to when police discovered the body of 30-year-old Velma Tharpe at 12th Avenue North a...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 23, 2026 by NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) and curated for The Nashville readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Aaron Cantrell at NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate). To learn more about how The Nashville selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from The Nashville, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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