Sister of man murdered in 2016 still waits for answers and closure

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Eight years after a man was found dead on the side of the road in South Nashville, Metro Police continue to search for new clues in the case, and the man's sister waits for answers.

On Jan. 26, 2016, around 8:50 a.m., a driver saw a man lying on the side of the road at Pebble Creek Drive and Edge-O-Lake Drive and called Metro Police. When officers arrived they determined the man was 53-year-old James Lytle, and he had been stabbed in the neck. Police said he was found near a woodline in a pile of brush.

Detectives searched the area for clues to determine who killed Lytle and why, but the investigation quickly turned cold. Officers later found his car abandoned about a mile away on Sailboat Court. His last known address was on Dickerson Pike.

His sister, Twana Lytle, described him as kind and caring. She said he loved animals and enjoyed cooking. He was originally from Alcoa, Tennessee but had been living in Nashville at the time of his death.

After waiting eight years for answers, she said she has relied on her faith and family for strength. She said she has forgiven the person who killed James, but still wants to know who committed the crime and why.

"At this point that’s all I am seeking to understand," Twana Lytle said. "Why it happened? What brought this on? What would make someone take someone else's life? I don't understand that in any circumstance."

Twana encouraged anyone with information on her brother's death to come forward, and hopes to one day get answers.

"Just to provide some closure," said Twana Lytle. "Just so we have an idea what was going on and what precipitated those events."

If you have any information on who killed James Lytle, you can call the Metro Police Department Cold Case Unit at 615-862-7329. You can also call Nashville Crime Stoppers anonymously at 615-74-CRIME.