: Her body was discovered on a highway near her home in Smithville with multiple gunshot wounds. A loaded and cocked handgun, which was registered to her, was found lying beside her.
Ashleigh McKinzie was a highly regarded educator and researcher who joined the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) community in 2017. ashleigh mckenzie
: A 27-year-old man, Todd Stanton, was at the scene when police arrived, with his own weapon placed on the hood of his truck. He was reportedly cooperating with investigators, and as of December 8, 2025, no arrests had been made. Recent Investigations and Community Impact : Her body was discovered on a highway
: McKinzie received numerous regional and national accolades for her research, including honors from the American Society of Criminology, the Society for the Study of Social Problems, and Sociologists for Women in Society. : A 27-year-old man, Todd Stanton, was at
: She taught courses focused on gender studies, social justice, and sociological theory. In the fall 2025 semester, she was teaching a course titled "Violence in the Family".
On the morning of December 4, 2025, McKinzie was found fatally shot in the middle of a roadway in DeKalb County, Tennessee.
This report focuses on the life, career, and tragic death of , an Associate Professor of Sociology at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Career and Academic Contributions
