Nashville Nurse Murder Suspect Arrested

Devaunte Hill was arrested early Friday morning as a suspect in the murder of Nashville ICU nurse Caitlyn Kaufman.

Devaunte Hill was taken into custody by Nashville police at his Berkshire Place apartment around 6:15 a.m., after “a concerned citizen came forward Thursday afternoon with information about a suspect and a 9mm gun used in the murder,” according to a statement by Nashville Metro Police Department Chief John Drake. Nashville detectives said the gun was found that same night, and was submitted for immediate analysis.

“That gun was test fired and we have a 100% match of the three 9mm shell casings found on the corner of the road on I-440 the night Caitlyn was killed,” Chief Drake said. Police were also able to verify that Hill’s phone was in the vicinity of the site of Kaufman’s murder on the night it occurred. Drake also confirmed that once in custody, Hill’s statements implicated himself in Kaufman’s death.

The St. Thomas West Hospital ICU nurse was shot and killed on Interstate 440 between the Hillsboro Road and West End exits on the night of December 4, after someone fired “at least six rounds” into her vehicle. Police immediately reached out to the public via social media, seeking any information related to her death.

Kaufman’s mother was later notified of the arrest. “It was an exceptional relief to be able to call Diane Kaufman who is back in Pennsylvania right now,” lead detective Chris Dickerson said. “She returned to Pennsylvania to prepare for Caitlyn’s funeral which is on Saturday.”

Chief Drake said that the case progressed within an hour of a $50,000 bonus added as reward for information about Kaufman’s death, made by an anonymous group of “businessmen and entrepreneurs” which included “dads” with families in Nashville. He took a moment during the press conference to “thank them for their contribution.”

A background check by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed that this is far from Hill’s first offense. He has previously been arrested on charges including “assault, driving without a license, failure to be booked, and [possession of] drug paraphernalia.” Hill will now add criminal homicide to his list of charges.