He Beat Eight People to Death: Michael Lee Cummins
On the evening of April 27, 2019, around 5:30 pm, Carlotta Clinard and her fiancé stumbled into a horrific crime scene — a scene now considered one of the most gruesome in recent Tennessee history.
What happened and why?
Early Life
Michael Lee Cummins was born on September 8, 1993, to Clara J. and David C. Cummins Jr. The Cummins family was rooted in Westmoreland, Tennessee for three generations, and resided in this rural, ex-railroad town of 2,725 people (2021 Census) in trailers along Charles Brown Road.
Details about Michael Cummins’ early life are limited. However, according to neighbors and family friends, he was a troublesome and disrespectful child who faced bullying at school, due to his family’s financial struggles. Despite the Cummins family not having employment and relying on social security, they were known for extending help to others whenever they could.
Michael Cummins’ initial involvement with the legal system arose in August 2012 when his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend sought an order of protection, alleging incidents of stalking and abuse. Four months later, he faced arrest for breaching this protective order after being found in the company of her and two others in the parking lot of an abandoned business. He was arrested for violating…
