What did Michael Keith Fine do? 80-year-old man arrested over 1977 murder of his parents

80-year-old Michael Keith Fine has been arrested after being accused of killing his parents back in 1977. Maryville Police Department has released the photos and identities of the victims - Helen D. Fine and Maynard H. Fine. This case was one of the oldest cold cases in Maryville, as confirmed by the authorities.

Fine is being held in Jefferson County Jail, while his extradition to Tennessee is expected to take place soon. His parents were found dead and had sustained gunshot wounds, as stated by authorities. They further confirmed that several witness interviews and analysis of evidence have taken place over the years.

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Michael Keith Fine, an elderly man, has been arrested in connection to his parents' murders that allegedly took place back in 1977

The case can be traced back to May 20, 1977, when a Bell South technician discovered the decomposed body in a car outside Michael Keith Fine's residence. Cops were called at about 9.30 am local time. The body in the car belonged to Michael's mother, Helen. Authorities arrived and discovered his father's body inside the house. It was then revealed that the couple was last seen alive at a dinner party with friends on May 6.

Evidence was collected, and several witness interviews took place over time. The couple was allegedly shot multiple times, leading to their death. Gradually, due to no leads, it became a cold case. Then in May 2021, over 40 years after the incident took place, the case reopened. It was then revealed that authorities could link the suspect to the murder weapon that they discovered in a landfill a year after the alleged deaths.

Maryville Police Chief Tony Crisp said,

"The grand jury was presented evidence, including forensic evidence, that tied Michael Keith Fine to the entry point of the residence. Additional evidence was found that tied Michael Keith Fine to the murder weapon that was used."

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Authorities could connect the suspect to the murder weapon discovered in 1978

After so many years of investigation, authorities have revealed that there was another woman and a teen who used to reside with the victim. They haven't been found or identified. Police believe that they aren't necessarily suspects in the case, but might have pieces of evidence linked to them. In a news conference regarding the case, Police Chief Crisp said,

"As often happens in cold cases such as this, such a horrendous and unresolved matter is never truly forgotten, especially by the family members and the detectives who worked so hard to bring those responsible to justice."

Michael Keith Fine was taken into custody in Birmingham, Alabama, on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. It is not yet clear if he has appointed a lawyer to speak on his behalf. According to Crisp, modern technology was used that helped them connect several shreds of evidence, including the murder weapon, to the suspect. He added,

"As General Desmond indicated, he wanted modern science to look at that evidence again, he wanted people who were alive and could testify to what evidence was collected, we were able to obtain some additional forensic information from some technology that exists today that didn’t exist then."

The suspect was initially a person of interest (Image via The Intrepid Journalism/X)

The suspect was allegedly considered a person of interest during the preliminary investigation.