A Greeneville man charged with Homicide in connection with the death of 16 year-old Danielle Owens, who went missing in December 2022, was scheduled to have his Arraignment Hearing on Friday in the Greene County Criminal Court, but a Waiver of Arraignment was filed.
32 year-old David Dabbs was indicted by the Grand Jury in July of this year for charges of Criminally Negligent Homicide, Aggravated Statutory Rape, Aggravated Assault, False Reports to an Officer, Child Abuse/Neglect/Endangerment, and Contributing to the Unruly Conduct of a Child. He was allegedly with Owens before her disappearance.
Owens was reported missing by her family and was last seen on December 11th, 2022. They were desperately asking for help to find her and suspected her disappearance was odd and unlike her. A Prayer Vigil was held for her in January 2023. The community, family, and friends gathered and were on the hunt to find Owens. A search was even done with many volunteering and a drone was flown over the area near a quarry, close to were she last was.
Her body was later found by a man after midnight on February 7th, 2023, lying in the middle of a cornfield on Doughtys Chapel Road. The body was found close to Owens last known location, which was also allegedly near the home of Dabbs. David Dabbs was given charges by the Grand Jury with a violation date of December 11th, 2022, the same day as Owens reportedly went missing. He is currently incarcerated.
Due to the waiver of arraignment Dabbs did not have to be in court and there was no plea entered, but his lawyer did have to be present. Judge John F. Dugger Jr. stated Dabbs is scheduled in court for Trial on May 20th, 2024. The judge originally set the trial for January 2024, where there will be 4 or 5 murder trials, but more time was requested for Dabbs by his lawyer.
