Family grateful for justice after arrests in TN National Guard soldier’s 2019 murder

LENOIR CITY, Tenn. ( WATE ) — The family of Jacob Bishop finally has answers nearly five years after he was found dead in his Lenoir City home.

The Tennessee Army National Guard soldier was found by his mother on Oct. 1, 2019. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was bound by zip ties, according to the sheriff’s office.

Amanda James Bishop, 39, of Kingston, and 39-year-old Eric Austin Byrd, of Lenoir City were arrested and charged with his murder on Tuesday. According to the sheriff’s office, Amanda and Jacob Bishop were going through a divorce and in a custody battle at the time of the murder. The sheriff’s office also identified Byrd as Amanda’s cousin.

Jacob’s family has been pushing for justice since his murder. His brother, Josh Bishop, was grateful to hear the news of the arrests.

“It’s kind of a relief in a sense, but at the same time, it doesn’t change nothing. I still don’t have my brother. My mom still doesn’t have her son,” he said. “But as far as justice, it’s nice to know where they are, you know what I mean, so no one can do this again.”

With the suspects in jail, Jacob’s family is able to breathe. Josh described what kind of person Jacob was.

“He was funny. He loved life. He loved his kids. He loved his family. He loved his country. And he was proud to serve,” he said.

Jacob had two children, a daughter with Amanda Bishop and a son from a previous marriage. His brother hopes they’ll always feel close to him, and know how important they were to him.

“Really, what I want is for his kids to know about their dad. There’s a 7-year-old girl that not only lost her father but lost her mother too,” Josh said.

The arrests also came as a major breakthrough for the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office. Jacob’s death was the only unsolved murder case the department had during former Sheriff Tim Guider’s 32 year-tenure.

“I want to say a big thank you to them from the bottom of my heart, and my mom feels the same way. I want to thank every single one of them for that. They got them… they got them,” Josh said.

LCSO said the investigation has faced numerous challenges, but advancements in technology and evidence allowed the case to progress.

Both Byrd and Amanda Bishop were charged with first-degree murder. They are being held at the Loudon County Detention Center on $1 million bonds. They are expected to appear in court on Monday, Aug. 19.

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