Blairsville woman killed in Murphy, NC, murder/suicide

MURPHY, NC — A woman from Blairsville, Georgia, was shot and killed in an apparent murder/suicide in Murphy, North Carolina, on Monday, Aug. 13, according to the Cherokee County (NC) Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office confirmed in a press release that the victim was Tamma Lee, age 57.

Cherokee County E-911 Communications received a call at about 8:20 p.m. that evening, indicating that a female had possibly been shot at a residence on Twin Pond Road, in the Hiwassee Dam Community of Cherokee County,
North Carolina.

Further, the caller stated that the shooter was actively engaged in shooting inside the residence at the time of the call. The report came from neighbors who reside across the street who had went to check the welfare of the female. The shooter was reportedly barricaded in the residence at the time of the call.

Deputies from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the scene of the reported incident. While on scene, numerous shots were heard along with breaking glass. At one point, a deputy was able to check the condition of the female, later identified as Lee, and found that she was already deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. Deputies then contained the perimeter of the residence. 

During this time, Cherokee County Emergency Management Administration placed a reverse 911 call to residents in the immediate area notifying them to stay in place. 

Additional resources were called, which included the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Cherokee Tribal Police Department’s SWAT team along with Jackson County’s SWAT team, Cherokee County Emergency Medical Services, Ranger Volunteer Fire Department, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation offered assistance. Apparently, as the Cherokee Tribal Police Department’s SWAT team approached in a Bearcat vehicle, the male inside the residence fired several shots at the vehicle. 

As the incident progressed into the early morning hours, several attempts were made to contact the male in the house with no result. Utilizing the SBI’s robot, the male individual later identified as Nathan Mashburn, a 27-year-old resident of Fannin County, Georgia, was located deceased in the residence from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Cherokee Tribal and Jackson County’s SWAT teams were able to clear the residence and did not locate any other persons at the residence.

“This is a great tragedy and loss for all concerned,” said Cherokee County (NC) Sheriff Derrick Palmer. “Our hearts and prayers go out to all the family members of those involved in this unfortunate incident. My Office and I want to thank all the agencies and our great public for the assistance we received during this lengthy ordeal. ”