After nearly a week, Nashville police have arrested a suspect accused of gunning down a 26-year-old nurse as she was driving to work along a major highway.
Caitlyn Kaufman, who worked in the intensive care unit of Saint Thomas West Hospital, died shortly after someone fired as many as six shots into her car as she drove along a major highway in Nashville around dusk on Dec. 3, Detective Chris Dickerson told The Tennessean. No motive has been determined.
On Friday, police arrested Devaunte L. Hill, 21, in connection with the shooting death of the “selfless” nurse, according to a news release. Metro Nashville Police Department’s SWAT members arrested Hill about 6:15 a.m. Friday at his East Nashville apartment. He has been charged with criminal homicide.
A Davidson County medical examiner determined Kaufman was killed by a single gunshot that entered her left shoulder. The examiner believes she died within 15 seconds of being wounded.
“She did not have time to call 911,” Dickerson said.
Police received 46 Crime Stopper tips as of 1:30 p.m. Monday.
“The death of Caitlyn is a tragedy,” Police Chief John Drake told reporters during a news conference at MNPD headquarters on Murfreesboro Pike. “Not only for her family, but for the city and for her team at Saint Thomas West Hospital.”
Her mother, Diane Kaufman, told The Tennessean that she was appreciative of the Nashville community’s efforts to find justice in her daughter’s killing. The Pennsylvania mom has been plagued by the question of “Why?”
“Please help me find out who did this to my daughter,” Diane Kaufman said through tears. “I need closure. Caitlyn was selfless. ... She had a contagious laugh. She had beautiful blue eyes. A heart of gold.”
The mother said her daughter was hired at Saint Thomas in the ICU in 2018. She was headed to her job to work her 7 p.m. shift when the shooting happened. Hours after Caitlyn Kaufman began her commute, a Metro Parks officer noticed her Mazda CX-5 SUV on the right shoulder of Interstate 440 against the guardrail in between the Hillsboro Pike and West End Avenue exits.
Kaufman’s mother said she does not have reason to believe her daughter was targeted.
“Caitlyn didn’t have enemies,” Kaufman told The Tennessean. “It was the wrong place at the wrong time. My heart is shattered.”
Earlier this week, a local man, who wanted to remain anonymous, told authorities he’d post a $10,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest in Kaufman’s killing. Crime Stoppers has also issued a $1,000 reward for tips leading to solving this case. Anyone with information can contact Metro Nashville Police at 615-742-7463.
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