In a gutting story, 13-year-old Savannah Copeland, a cheerleader from Knox County was found stabbed by a pocketknife near a walking trail in Tennessee, on October 22, 2024.
The attacker has been identified as 15-year-old Malakiah Lamar Harris by the Sheriff’s Office who have arrested him and charged him with second-degree murder. According to 6News, prosecutors have announced that they plan to try Harris as an adult and his hearing date is set as January 14, 2025.
How exactly was Savannah Copeland found?
As reported by WVLT, Savannah Copeland's father Michael Copeland suspected something was off when he did not hear from her for hours till night. He then tracked Savannah's phone and found her stabbed and dead on trails near the 7700 block of Cranley Road.
Micheal Copeland also told WVLT:
“I think it was a lack of compassion and a lack of empathy that drove the hand that took my daughter’s life,”
It is unclear how Savannah Copeland and Harris knew one another, but authorities believe Harris enticed Copeland to the trail shortly after midnight, where he allegedly pulled out a pocket knife and repeatedly stabbed her, according to The New York Post.
Remembering Savannah Copeland
In a GoFundMe account set up by Savannah Copeland's uncle, he described her as:
"A joy to her parents, brother Britton and twin brother Kasey, family, and friends. She lost her young life in a senseless manner leaving behind her devastated family."
The GoFundMe account was set up with a goal to raise $60K to help the Copeland family navigate this tough time. The account has managed to raise over $50k already with 711 donations.
In an interview with WVLT, Micheal Copeland said that a cross and several significant items that symbolize the 13-year-old Savannah Copeland have been placed at the exact location where she was killed.
Rather than serving as a reminder of the tragedy, this family is choosing to view the location as a place where they can cherish the happy memories of their daughter. Copeland hopes that people will see the cross and allow it to serve as a reminder to treat others with kindness. He said:
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“I’m not going to allow my heart to be filled with that kind of rage, it’s going to be filled with compassion. That’s the only way I know how to defeat evil.”
Not much is known about why 15-year-old Malakiah Harris killed Savannah Copeland as of now.
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