NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Scripps News Nashville) — After a trial lasting more than a week, a jury acquitted one of the two men charged in the death of nurse Caitlyn Kaufman on I-440 while finding the other defendant guilty of a lesser charge.
Devaunte Hill, left, and James Cowan, right in court during the eight-day murder trial of Caitlyn Kaufman. Hill was found guilty of second-degree murder and Cowan was found not guilty. (WTVF)
On Tuesday the jury found Devaunte Hill guilty of second-degree murder, and returned a not guilty verdict on all charges for James Cowan. Hill fired shots that killed Kaufman two years ago in what was described as a road rage shooting. Cowan was in the car with Hill at the time of the shooting, but the jury found he was not responsible for Kaufman’s death.
Both Hill and Cowan faced first-degree premeditated murder counts, as well as lesser counts.
After beginning deliberations Monday, the jury returned to the courtroom early Tuesday afternoon without a verdict. Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton read them the responsibility of the jury, including the need for a decision to be unanimous, before deliberations continued.
The verdict was reached almost an hour later, just before 3 p.m.
Sentencing for Hill will take place March 3.
Timeline of events
On the evening of December 3, 2020, Caitlyn Kaufman was driving along Interstate 440 on her way to work at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital when she was shot and killed.
FILE – This undated photo provided by WTVF shows Caitlyn Kaufman, a Nashville nurse that was killed in a road rage shooting Dec. 3, 2020. (WTVF)
According to Metro Police, a Metro Parks officer had seen a Mazda SUV on the right shoulder against the guard rail and assuming the driver had crashed, he approached to help. Inside they found Kaufman, who had died from a gunshot wound.
Investigators said there were bullet holes in the window of the car. They believe the bullets were fired into the SUV.
Detectives said six rounds were fired into the vehicle.
A week later, on December 11, then 21-year-old Devaunte L. Hill was taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide.
A day later, a second suspect, James Edward Cowan, also known as James Lillard was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
In January 2021, a witness testified that he heard one of the suspects confess to killing Kaufman and said the suspect claimed they shot the nurse because she may have cut them off on I-440.
This story was originally published Jan. 31 by WTVF in Nashville, an E.W. Scripps Company.
