On November 30, 1967, Merlyn Woodfield was found injured and unable to speak clearly by her neighbor. She later died from her injuries during surgery. Witnesses reported seeing a man with a rake or shovel near the house, and bloodstains were found both inside and outside the residence. A car registered was discovered stuck on a nearby road, leading police to person of interest, Albert Merritt Jr., an ex-convict.
Merritt admitted to driving a stolen car found near the scene but denied involvement in the murder. Eventually, Merritt’s signed confession statement and a knife found in the hallway were obtained, and he was appointed three attorneys. He was then bound over to the Grand Jury.
The president of the Nashville chapter of the ACLU, expressed concern over Albert Merritt Jr.’s lack of legal representation, while the police argued that Merritt had declined counsel and signed a confession. The Vanderbilt Bar Association also criticized the press coverage of the murder as irresponsible. Merritt’s attorneys accused the police of offering him a deal, but the sergeants denied it and claimed Merritt had sought a deal.
After a trial, Merritt was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Merritt escaped from jail along with two other inmates but was captured after a shootout with the police. He served four years before receiving additional prison terms for his involvement in the escape. Merritt was released on parole in 1984 but returned to prison for violating parole related to the murder case. He has since died.
Sources
- numerous articles from The Tennessean found in a search of “Woodfield” and Nashville, Tennessee on newspapers.com – I read everything from 1967 to 1988
- State of Tennessee Felony Offender Information (I searched Albert Merritt)
- Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk (I searched Albert Merritt)
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