Tennessee Launches First Public Database of Domestic Abusers
Tennessee has initiated the country’s first public registry aimed at tracking convicted domestic abusers, a step taken under a new law honoring a sheriff’s deputy who was tragically killed by an abusive ex-boyfriend.
The database, which went live on January 1, features the names, photos, and birth dates of offenders. This initiative is part of the Savannah Act, a bill signed by Governor Bill Lee in May 2025, which mandates the creation of a registry in memory of Savannah Puckett.
Puckett, a 22-year-old deputy in Robertson County, was fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend, James Conn, in January 2022. Conn had a documented history of domestic assault arrests, information that Puckett was unaware of before their relationship began.
After murdering Puckett, Conn shot her in the torso and head before setting her home ablaze. He entered a guilty plea in August 2023 and received a life sentence.
In the wake of her daughter’s death, Kim Dodson, Puckett’s mother, became an advocate for legislative change. She believes that if such a registry had existed at the time, her daughter might still be alive.
Dodson expressed her horror upon discovering Conn’s extensive criminal background, stating that Puckett would never have dated him if she had known. “I feel like if she had known, she might still be here,” she remarked.
The Domestic Violence Registry is managed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and lists individuals convicted of at least two domestic violence-related offenses. However, it relies on victims’ cooperation for registration; if a victim does not consent, the offender’s name may not be included.
Currently, the database only includes offenses committed after the start of the year, limiting its scope as it mirrors the structure of the state’s sex offender registry, which has been developed over decades.
Tennessee has previously ranked among the top ten states for domestic violence homicides and tied with South Carolina for fifth place in 2019 concerning female homicide rates.
