Case of men found dead at Mead’s Quarry remains unsolved after 55 years

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — More than 55 years ago, two men were found dead in a burned out vehicle at Mead’s Quarry, and there are still no clear answers about what happened to the men.

Hubert Johnson, 45, of Strawberry Plains, and Murel Marie, 61, are both listed on Knoxville Police Department’s list of unsolved murders. They were found inside of a burned out car on September 13, 1969 at the area which is now part of Ijams Nature Center.

While many cases on the unsolved murders list include a brief description of where the victim’s body was found and circumstances investigators believe may have happened, this specific listing includes a previous 6 News story spotlighting the case.

According to that story, Johnson and Marie were last reported to have been together around 11:30 p.m. at Buch’s Tavern on North Gay Street the night before their bodies were found. The two had left the tavern to go to North Gay Cafe, but there is no report of what happened after they left the tavern and before their bodies were found nearly four miles away.

After their bodies were found, Johnson was identified using the car’s registration and dental information provided by his wife. She was also able to confirm that a Fairfax watch found on the floorboard of the vehicle did not belong to her husband. The investigators looked into the ownership of the watch, leading them to identify Marie.

Because of the state of the bodies, autopsies were not preformed, according to investigative reports. As previously reported, Marie’s cause of death was ruled to be from a gunshot, but Johnson’s remains a mystery to this day.

6 News reached out to Knoxville police for an update on the case. KPD said that unfortunately, there are no new developments or updates in the case at this time.

Anyone with information that could help investigators can contact submit a tip by contacting the East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers.

There are multiple ways you can provide anonymous information to Crime Stoppers. You can call 865-215-7165 or **TIPS, and go online at www.easttnvalleycrimestoppers.org , via the free mobile app, P3 Tips, or the East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers Facebook page. Tipsters can remain anonymous and are eligible to receive a cash reward.

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