Knoxville woman continues fight for justice in father’s 55-year-old cold case murder

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A daughter continues to fight to find her father’s killer more than five decades later.

“He was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Donna Fawver, the daughter of Hubert Johnson.

She was 21 years old and eight months pregnant at time of her father’s death.

“My mother had gone to the doctor with me and we were looking to see if we could find their car,” Fawver said. “We [were] coming out John Sevier Highway and there were six helicopters circling.”

Knoxville Police responded to Mead’s Quarry on September 13, 1969 after receiving a call of a burned car.

“We had gotten a call about the people burned beyond recognition,” Fawver said.

Those two men later identified at Hubert Johnson, 45, Donna’s father, and Murel Marie, 61.

The two men were last seen together around 11:30 p.m. at Bunch’s Tavern on Gay Street. They left the tavern and headed to North Gay Cafe.

“Between Bunch’s and North Gay Cafe we don’t know what happened,” Fawver said.

According to investigative reports, Marie died from a gunshot wound, while Johnson’s cause of death remains a mystery. Donna’s mother Mary, who was also Hubert Johnson’s wife, died in 2014 from bladder cancer. Despite the disease, Mary continued to search for answers.

“I know I’m sick but I don’t want to leave here until I find out something about your dad,” Fawver said. “I did promise my mother, I wouldn’t give up.”

More than 55 years later, Fawver will continue to finder the person responsible for her father’s death.

“My message to them is I would just like to meet them. I would like to talk to them. I would like to ask them why,” she said.

Knoxville Police said there has been no new developments in the case.

If you have any information that can help Knoxville Police, you’re asked to contact the East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.

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