Creekside Kitchen and Market owner Kelly Kehoe’s death earlier this year has been ruled a suicide, according to Eighth Judicial District Attorney General Jared Effler.
The family has been notified.
According to a letter, dated May 1, from Effler to TBI Special Agent Justin Ramsey, Effler wrote that the investigation findings indicated that Kehoe shot herself. There was also a note found on Kehoe’s cell phone.
“After the investigation and autopsy and everything, it was determined that it was a suicide,” Effler said.
Kehoe, who was 34, was found dead after a fire at the restaurant on Jan. 31.
In the letter from Effler to Ramsey, Effler says that the investigation is closed.
“Based upon the investigation, both from the evidence as well as the conclusions from the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, Ms. Kelly Kehoe’s manner of death has been concluded as a suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound with smoke inhalation and thermal burns as contributing factors,” Effler wrote.
The forensic center, as well as TBI and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, were involved in the investigation, according to Effler.
“The basis for this conclusion is from a number of evidentiary findings that the investigation uncovered,” Effler wrote to Ramsey. “First, that at approximately 8 a.m. on Jan. 31, 2024, a witness discovered that the Creekside Market was on fire and that Ms. Kelly Kehoe’s vehicle was parked out front of the Creekside Market. As a result, this same witness called 911. The witness noted hearing what sounded like a gunshot during the 911 call. The witness also noted that no one entered or exited Creekside Market between the time that he arrived and the time that law enforcement arrived. Your agency reviewed the 911 call and noted that during the call, a gunshot was heard on the recording. The witness could not enter Creekside Market due to the flames.”
According to a Facebook post, dated Oct. 1, 2023, which announced Kehoe as the new owner of Creekside Kitchen and Market, Kehoe was a Cincinnati native and a realtor.
“Upon the fire being extinguished, you were able to determine the origin and cause of the fire,” Effler wrote to Ramsey. “Based on your scene examination, the classification of this fire was incendiary. Additionally, the firearm was found near Ms. Kelly Kehoe inside of the building. Based upon the examination of the firearm, it was found that after the firearm was fired, a casing had not been ejected from the firearm and prevented the firearm from properly cycling. It was a partial stove pipe. In conjunction with this finding, your agency further found a note on Ms. Kelly Kehoe’s cellular device that corroborated the above manner of death finding.”
The Facebook post from October, which was on the Creekside Kitchen and Market page, indicated that Kehoe hadn’t moved to the LaFollette area but was looking to build a home in the future.
“As you are well aware, there were a number of other evidentiary findings that led not only your agency but the Knox County Regional Forensic Center to conclude that the manner of death for Ms. Kelly Kehoe was suicide,” Effler wrote to Ramsey. “Our office as well as the above agencies have discussed all of the evidentiary findings with Ms. Kelly Kehoe’s family, and out of respect for the family, that additional information will remain with them. As with any case, the manner of death may be reconsidered should additional information become available. Given the obvious tragedy that this matter is and will continue to be, I am appreciative for the swift response and comprehensive investigation of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.”
