ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) — Two men who police say bragged about shooting another man they had gone to confront have both been charged with first-degree murder after police allegedly found evidence two different handguns were used.
Cody Alan Miller, 23, is being held in the Carter County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond for allegedly killing Phillip Glass, 31, Thursday morning. Brandon Lee Blackwell, 34, is being held without bond in Glass’s death.
Miller’s involvement was related to Glass apparently dating Miller’s ex-girlfriend, police records show.
An affidavit from Elizabethton Police Department (EPD) officer Mike Commons states that during their investigation into Glass’ death, they learned Miller had allegedly shot Glass with a .380 semi-automatic pistol.
The brief affidavit states that Miller, of Bear Branch Road in Roan Mountain, “bragged to individuals that ‘Flip’ Phillip Glass, was dead. Miller bragged about where he shot Glass and bragged about how ‘cool’ it was.”
As News Channel 11 reported earlier, EPD initially went to Oakmont Drive after receiving calls “about a vehicle that continued to rev its engine while driving up and down the road.”
Before officers arrived, they got a second call about shots fired in the area. Oakmont Drive is a cul de sac off of the Milligan Highway near Happy Valley elementary and high schools.
EPD officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Oakmont Drive. At the scene, they found Glass’ body inside his vehicle.
Commons’ affidavit states that Miller had gone to where Glass “was staying on Oakmont Drive” to confront him about dating his ex-girlfriend.
The affidavit says police recovered the pistol in a Chevrolet Tahoe registered to Miller that was wrecked and left at the scene. It says they also found spent .380 shell casings at the scene.
A second affidavit from Commons was used as evidence to charge Blackwell with first-degree murder and also with harassment. It states that EPD’s investigation also found that Blackwell, of Hampton, had gone to the scene at the same time, armed with a 9 millimeter handgun equipped with a laser sight.
The affidavit states that Blackwell, who was arrested Saturday, used the laser to aim and fired shots at Glass’s windshield.
“Following the shooting Blackwell bragged to individuals that he had shot Phillip Glass and was sure he had killed him,” the affidavit reads.
It states police did find 9mm shells at the scene and that Glass died of multiple gunshot wounds.
The harassment charge results from a report by Glass’s family members in Kingsport, who filed a report with the Kingsport Police Department on Friday in which they claimed Blackwell sent threatening voice messages “stating he would shoot their house up like he did their uncle.”
Blackwell has a court appearance set for Dec. 19 in Carter County Circuit Court. While authorities reported Saturday that Kimberly Nicole Thomas, 20, was also in custody in relation to the incident, EPD reported early Monday afternoon she has been released after questioning.
The updated from EPD said its investigation is continuing.
