Johnson City man charged in Carter County homicide

One person is in custody following a homicide in Carter County and Sheriff Mike Fraley said in a Friday news conference that he’s confident they have the right person responsible.

Fraley identified the victim as 18-year-old Jaylen Burleson whose body was found at a home on Earl McKinney Road in Valley Forge just after 4 a.m. Fraley noted some other locations were being investigated.

The Sheriff’s Office statement said the suspect is 19-year-old Moreland Whitely of Johnson City who is charged with first degree murder and a weapon possession charge. Information posted on social media by friends and family said Burleson had reportedly graduated from Hampton High School one week ago.

Whitely was also charged in June of last year with aggravated assault in connection to a Johnson City shooting on Cherry Street that wounded two people.

Burleson’s body was taken to the Jenkins Forensic Center at ETSU for an autopsy.