Judge sentences Curtis Day to 22 years in death of Jordan Knight

A Cheatham County judge on Monday sentenced Curtis Dale Day to 22 years in the Tennessee Department of Corrections after a jury convicted him of second-degree murder in the October 2020 death of Jordan Knight. Day, a range I offender under state sentencing law, will serve the sentence without early-release credits tied to the statute under which he was convicted, the court said.

The judge said the sentence — higher than the 15-year minimum for a range I offender but below the statutory maximum — balanced enhancement factors the state urged and mitigating evidence raised by the defense. "I hereby sentence him to 22 years in the Tennessee Department of Corrections," the judge said during the sentencing hearing.

The victim’s mother, Penny Allen Williamson, gave a victim impact statement, describing Jordan Knight as “a loving father, brother, and son,” and saying her family received a “life sentence of sadness” after his death. Williamson told the court she forgave Day but asked the judge to consider the loss suffered by her family and others who loved Knight.

Probation and courts staff presented a presentence report prepared by Wendy James of the Tennessee Department of Correction, Probation and Parole. James told the court she interviewed Day and recorded his account that he sold methamphetamine but denied selling the drugs that later killed the victim. The pre-sentence report also listed Day’s federal convictions: four separate methamphetamine counts with offense dates in 2022, each carrying five-year terms that were imposed to run concurrently. The report rated Day as a “moderate” risk to reoffend and recommended programming such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, substance-abuse and mental-health treatment.

Lieutenant Shannon Heflin, who led a portion of the original investigation, testified about controlled buys worked with a confidential source and FBI agents at Day’s Davidson County residence, describing four recorded purchases of crystal meth tied to the federal convictions. Heflin said items seized in the federal investigation were turned over to the FBI and she could not confirm whether lab testing later showed the presence of fentanyl in those samples.

At sentencing the state asked the court to apply three enhancement factors under Tennessee law, including Day’s history of criminal convictions, the claim he acted as a leader in an offense involving multiple actors, and that he “had no hesitation about committing a crime when the risk to human life was high.” Prosecutor General Crouch argued that the combination of methamphetamine and fentanyl sales creates a “very high risk to human life” and urged the court to give significant weight to that point.

Defense counsel Michael Atchison urged the judge to impose the statutory minimum of 15 years, citing Day’s limited criminal history relative to his early-life employment, evidence of substance use and mental health issues, vocational certificates Day obtained while incarcerated and family support. Atchison said the mitigating factors outweighed the aggravating factors and that a 15-year term would provide punishment and opportunity for rehabilitation.

The judge said he found the evidence of Day’s leadership in distribution and the continuation of sales after the victim’s death weighed heavily as enhancement factors but expressed uncertainty about treating the 2022 federal convictions as prior convictions because their offense dates post‑date the murder. The judge nevertheless assigned “great weight” to the leadership and risk-to-life enhancement factors and sentenced Day to 22 years. The judge noted the statute under which Day was convicted requires service of the full term as imposed.

The hearing included statements from family members on both sides. Isaac Tanksley Jr., Day’s uncle, told the court Day had struggled for years with addiction but had family support and vocational efforts to rebuild his life. Day addressed the court directly, apologized to Knight’s family, accepted responsibility for his part in what happened and said he had completed trade coursework while incarcerated and wanted to be productive after release.

The court remanded Day to the Department of Corrections to begin serving the sentence. The judge closed by acknowledging the “devastating” effects of addiction on families and saying the sentence sought to balance punishment, deterrence and public safety.

The matter concluded with the court’s clerk handling administrative steps to process Day’s commitment to state custody.

Sources: court proceedings, victim impact statement and presentence report.