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Man called E-911 7 minutes before teen was shot
Eric McLean called E-911 about an intruder in his house 7 minutes before he allegedly killed the 18-year-old man who was romantically involved with his wife, an investigator said.McLean, 31, is in jail without bond on a charge of first-degree murder. Authorities charged McLean with the slaying of Sean Powell, who was shot while sitting in a car in front of the McLean residence.
Relatives of Powell and McLean contend Powell, a former West High School student, was having an affair with 30-year-old Erin McLean, his former student teacher.
Knoxville Police Department Investigator Andrew Boatman said Powell appeared Saturday night at the door of the 2424 Coker Ave. residence of the McLeans.
"He (McLean) told him (Powell) he didn't want him on the property, but he came in anyway," Boatman said.
Eric McLean called E-911, Boatman said, to report "an intruder" in his home.
"The (911) dispatcher asked him why he was having a conversation with the intruder," Boatman said. "He said, 'I believe this kid has been stalking my wife.'
"He told the dispatcher it was all right, that the guy was leaving."
Seven minutes later, at 9:22 p.m., Erin McLean called E-911 to report her husband had just shot a man, Boatman said. Police found Powell shot once in the head sitting in the older model Mercedes his adoptive parents had bought him on his 18th birthday.
"At this point, I don't believe there was any kind of struggle in the house," Boatman said.
Jeffrey Crum, who pastors at the New Faith Fellowship church at 2402 Coker Ave., said Powell came into the church just before the slaying. Crum said Powell, whom he recognized from pictures after the shooting, asked to use the rest room between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
"He was real nice and polite; a real clean-cut kid," Crum said.
Powell also asked Crum's wife if he could use her cell phone. Powell used the phone to call a woman, but Crum was unsure of exactly what was said.
"The kid said something about we were really rocking Friday night, so he must have been around to hear our Friday night service," Crum said.
Police armed with a search warrant Monday seized several items from the residence, Boatman said. Confiscated items included notes and letters, he said.
Boatman said police had to get a search warrant for the house because Erin McLean "invoked her rights" to refuse police into the home.
"She won't talk to us," Boatman said. "She immediately asked for an attorney and wouldn't answer any questions."
McLean was an aspiring teacher engaged in a teaching internship at West High School that began in August. She was slated to teach English classes until the end of the year for the unpaid post.
After the slaying, however, the University of Tennessee put her on indefinite leave and told her to stay away from West High.
Boatman said Powell was in McLean's class. Powell turned 18 in October and left the school Nov. 20.
"Right now, we're trying to establish a time frame and determine if there was involvement before he turned 18," Boatman said.
Don Jacobs may be reached at 865-342-6345.
sounds like self defense to me..the wife sounds like a real piece of work
What? Am I the only one having a hard time understanding just who was "rocking" on Friday night?