Kenton Mother Indicted on Murder Charges in Deaths of Two Children
A Kenton mother faces multiple murder charges after her two young children were found shot to death at a residence on Jan Lynn Street earlier this month.
KENTON, TENNESSEE — A Kenton woman was arrested and jailed without bond Monday after an Obion County Grand Jury indicted her on multiple murder charges connected to the shooting deaths of her two young children earlier this month.
Jessica Quarles, 32, of Kenton, faces two counts each of First Degree Premeditated Murder and First Degree Felony Murder, along with one count of Aggravated Child Abuse/Neglect/Endangerment-Vulnerable Child and one count of Aggravated Child Abuse/Neglect/Endangerment-8 and under, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Two Children Found Dead at Kenton Residence
The investigation began June 13 after TBI special agents joined the Kenton Police Department at a residence in the 300 block of Jan Lynn Street in Kenton, where the shooting deaths of Landrie Harris and McKenna Young had occurred. Landrie Harris was born May 2, 2025, and McKenna Young was born November 11, 2014.
The TBI entered the case at the request of 27th Judicial District Attorney General Colin Johnson. Investigators from the Kenton Police Department, the Obion County Sheriff’s Office, and the 27th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office all participated in the joint investigation.
During the investigation, authorities identified Quarles, the children’s mother, as the individual responsible for their deaths, according to the TBI.
Grand Jury Returns Indictment, Quarles Taken Into Custody
On June 29, an Obion County Grand Jury returned the indictment against Quarles. She was arrested and booked into the Obion County Jail on June 30 with no bond set.
The multi-agency investigation involved special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Kenton Police Department, the Obion County Sheriff’s Office, and the 27th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office.
Charges Remain Allegations Under the Law
The TBI noted in its release that the charges referenced are accusations of criminal conduct and do not constitute evidence. Quarles is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt through due process of law.
