Nashville man admits to stabbing three, killing two family members on Tuesday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Nashville Department Police officers arrested a suspect Tuesday afternoon in two deadly stabbings that happened that morning. He was booked into jail after 9 p.m., and is being held without bond.

Authorities arrested John W. Donaldson, 32, without incident, at the Best Western Motel at 3:35 p.m. Police said Donaldson admitted to killing his mother and sister-in-law at an apartment. The two were found with multiple stab wounds, predominantly in the head and neck.

Donaldson waived his Miranda rights and also admitted to stabbing another sister-in-law, 32-year-old Jasmine Donaldson at a different apartment. The children in the apartment weren't injured.

"There was outstanding teamwork and detectives for all involved," MNPD Chief John Drake said. "We had a horrendous crime today where two individuals lost their lives. By gaining information from the community, we were able to locate where he was. We were afraid he would create terror while he was out. This is how we fight crime, especially violent crime. We pull together and share information as a team. It's hard to stop any type of domestic situation."

MNPD

Police responded to the stabbing at an apartment complex off of Elm Hill Pike around 11 a.m.

Donaldson's 9-year-old nephew opened the door for him, and Donaldson entered, enraged and started attacking his mother.

"According to one of the kids, he immediately came inside and attacked his mother with a knife," MNPD spokesperson Don Aaron said. "She was fatally stabbed. He then attacked his sister-in-law. While being attacked, the sister-in-law was trying to shelter kids from harm as he attacked her with a knife."

While his mother, Jacqueline Pritchett did not survive, Donaldson's sister-in-law, 29-year-old Genell Stewart-Tuggle was critically injured and is being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The children present were unharmed.

Shortly afterward, officials were called to a scene at a home in the 200 block of Hickorydale Drive for another stabbing.

"He took keys from mother's Kia Forte," Aaron said. "Then believe he drove to a residence on Hickorydale Drive. That is the home of his brother and sister-in-law, as well as another niece. According to what we've pieced together, he knocked on the door. No one came to the door, so he kicked it in. The sister-in-law was in the bathroom when he entered and attacked her with a knife."

Jasmine Donaldson died from Donaldson's attack. Donaldson's 7-year-old niece was home at the time but was not harmed.

Police said they are still trying to figure out why these crimes happened.

Donaldson had recently been told to stay away from his mother's apartment.

He was convicted of domestic assault against a girlfriend, aggravated assault against a first responder and aggravated burglary in 2019. He was also convicted of robbery in 2017.

Arrest warrants for Tuesday's stabbings charge Donaldson with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.