John Bassett, 29 of Knoxville, Tennessee, has been indicted by a Knox County Grand Jury for the murder of Desheena Kyle, and is now facing charges of first degree murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. Bassett, who was in a relationship with Desheena, has been in custody since July 7, when he was arrested at his residence on Ohio Avenue on an outstanding warrant for violation of probation.
The indictment of John Bassett is the result of a months-long investigation into the disappearance of Desheena Kyle, who was reported missing from her apartment at 1307 Wilson Road on June 28, 2021. Following a search that was conducted based on a lead developed during the investigation, Kyle’s body was located by KPD officers at an abandoned house on Sam Tillery Road on Tuesday, September 28. The Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that the manner of Desheena’s death was a homicide, though an exact cause of death has not yet been determined.
The investigation into Desheena’s disappearance and death has involved multiple KPD units, including investigators with the Special Crimes Unit and Violent Crimes Unit, prosecutors with the Knox County District Attorney’s Office, and both state and federal law enforcement partners.
John Bassett remains in custody at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility, where he is being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond.