UPDATE: Marion County Murder Victim Identified

Marion County detectives continue to look for a man with a criminal past to question him in his girlfriend's death early this morning in Whitwell. Detectives identified Brandi Dawn Duba, 27, as the homicide victim. 

They are still looking for 29-year-old Michael Shirley.  A spokesperson for the  Marion County Sheriff's Department say they responded to a car crash on Ketner Mill Road just after midnight Tuesday.  The deputies did not find the driver of the vehicle when they got on the scene.

While investigating the vehicle crash, deputies went to 142 Cheri Circle Lot # 2 to investigate an open door on a residence. 

When they arrived, deputies found two small children asleep on the couch in the living room.  Deputies then found what appeared to be blood splatter in the kitchen area. 

As they looked further, deputies discovered the dead body of Duba located in the bedroom of the house.

Detectives and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Agents then came to the scene and found that the female was beaten and stabbed multiple times.  

While investigating the death, Detectives learned that the vehicle that had crashed on Ketner Mill Road was registered to Duba.  Detectives are looking for the deceased’s boyfriend, Shirley, to question him about the incident.

Duba's body is now at the State Medical Examiner lab in Nashville for an autopsy. 

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Marion County Sheriff’s Department at 423-942-2525.

Deputies are describing Shirley as armed and dangerous.