The case against a man accused of stabbing his step-grandfather to death will move forward after a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, March 26, at the Blount County Justice Center. Bryan T. Noble, Maryville, has been accused of stabbing to death his step-grandfather, John Salveti Jr. in their home on September 19, 2023.
Witnesses included Janine Salveti, John Salveti III and Detective John Givens, MPD.
First to take the stand was Noble’s mother, Janine Salveti, who recalled the night that Noble allegedly murdered her father-in-law. Prosecutors and defense asked a series of questions about the timeline of the night as well as questions about Noble’s personality and home life.
Salveti said that she, Noble, Salveti Jr, and Salveti III all lived together in the same house without much incident. According to Salveti, Noble and her husband, Salveti III, would sometimes argue but nothing ever became violent.
She told the court that the night of the murder, she was woken by her husband screaming, “Bryan, what are you doing?” When she came out of her bedroom, she saw Salveti Jr. laying on the ground.
When defense cross-examined, she talked a little more about Noble’s history. She told the court she had raised Noble his entire life, at one point saying, “I was so proud of him,” while she recounted his time in school.
Both Salveti and Salveti III told the court that they believed Noble had started to display behavior that was concerning. They testified that Noble had talked about flies in the garage that held cameras to spy on him, would often pace back and forth and started staying up all night. When Salveti III took the stand, he told the court he was awakened the night of the alleged murder to a banging, which he said he thought was their dogs. When he entered the hallway from his bedroom, he testified that he saw, “Bryan on his knees stabbing my dad.”
He told the court that he and Noble then physically struggled for two to three minutes where Noble stabbed Salveti III in the face. Salevti III said Noble threw his hands in the air and said, “Now what?” before running out the door.
During both testimonies, Noble sat still with his head down, not looking up at either witness.
The third witness to take the stand was Detective John Bivens with Maryville Police Department. Bivens was asked about autopsy photos and confirmed that, according to the autopsy, Salveti Jr. had two stab wounds in his head area, nine in his upper torso and eight in his arms.
Bivens told the court that Salveti Jr. had told police that Noble had a previous history of drug use and odd behavior. When asked by prosecutors if Noble tested positive for any substances during his arrest, that he tested positive for marijuana-based THC but nothing else.
Noble is charged with criminal homicide and attempted criminal homicide. As of now, the case is set to go to Grand Jury.
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