Katie 
Portland, Tennessee: 69-year-old Doris Atchinson hadn't been seen since March 2020. With concerns of her welfare mounting, someone reached out to the Tennessee Department of Adult Protective Services requesting a welfare check.
Portland Detective Miranda Vaughan responded to that call on March 25 and began speaking with neighbors of the residence Doris shared with her 44-year-old son Brian David Atchison. While speaking with a neighbor, Atchison is reported to have returned home.
According to reports he stated that his mother was out of town and allowed Vaughan to enter the residence.
In a back bedroom Vaughan noticed two feet, which appeared to belong to a woman, under a pile of clothing. It seemed that the body had been there for some time.
In another bedroom, officers located a cooler with dead cats.
Officers conducted an interview where he "made statements implicating himself" in the death of his mother.
At that time, he was booked into the Sumner County Jail on charges of abuse of a corpse and two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.
After the autopsy results corroborated statements Atchison had made about his mother's death, the additional charge of first degree murder was filed against him.
Atchison is scheduled to appear before Judge James M. Hunter on July 9 at 9:00 am.
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