Men in ‘long-standing feud’ die in murder-suicide at 80th birthday party, TN cops say

A dispute between two men stretching back at least 10 years led to a murder-suicide at a birthday party in Tennessee, authorities said.

Bobby Andrew Phy, 56, and Randall Eldridge, 63, were among a group of family and friends attending an 80th birthday party at a home Nov. 5, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

At about 8 p.m., the two men started arguing in the driveway, then Phy killed Eldridge, deputies said.

Afterwards, Phy killed himself, partygoers told deputies.

When first responders arrived on the scene, both men were dead, deputies said. The Tennessee Medical Examiner will conduct autopsies.

Investigators said the murder-suicide may have stemmed from the “long-standing feud” between the two men.

“The family and family members having the 80th birthday party are highly respected and upstanding citizens in our community,” Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris said. “This is certainly a sad tragedy for this family and unfortunate that this incident occurred.”

The investigation is ongoing. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office didn’t have details on the nature of the feud.

Putnam County is about an 80-mile drive east from Nashville.

Murder-suicide

Up to 600 murder-suicides happen each year, according to the FBI. They account for about 1,000 deaths a year.

“Although uncommon, such incidents vary widely in terms of the persons involved, how they are related, and where the crimes take place,” the FBI reported. “Usually, law enforcement personnel deal with murder-suicides involving two people in domestic settings or relationships.”

About 65% of murder-suicides involve intimate partners, officials said, and 81% happen in the home.

This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Men in ‘long-standing feud’ die in murder-suicide at 80th birthday party, TN cops say."