NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 9, 2025 — A man convicted in one of Tennessee’s most shocking murder cases from the 1990s has been recommended for continued incarceration, following a recent parole hearing.
James Christopher Tatrow, who was convicted for his role in the kidnapping, torture, and murder of two men — Roger Dale Zammit and John Allen Harry — will not be released on parole, according to a recommendation made by a parole hearing officer this week.
District Attorney Bryant C. Dunaway, who was present at the hearing alongside the victims’ families, confirmed the recommendation, citing the “seriousness of the offense” as a primary reason for denying early release.
Details of the Case
The crimes took place over three harrowing days in 1994. Authorities say Tatrow, identified as the ringleader, and his co-defendants lured Zammit and Harry to his home. The victims were restrained, beaten, stabbed, and tortured in what officials described as a calculated and prolonged act of violence.
Tragically, Zammit was reportedly strangled using paracord while forced to lie in a bathtub. When Harry attempted to flee, Tatrow shot him in the head. Both bodies were later discovered in Center Hill Lake, bound with wire and weighted down with concrete blocks.
In 1996, Tatrow was convicted by a jury on two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping. He received two life sentences, to be served concurrently.
At the time, Tennessee law allowed for parole eligibility after 25 years served — a standard that has since changed. Tatrow has now served more than that minimum but continues to face opposition to his release from prosecutors and the victims’ families.
A Message of Remembrance
Following the hearing, DA Dunaway released a statement urging the public to remember the lives of Zammit and Harry.
“Their lives were taken, and their families continue to grieve. We must ensure that justice continues to be served by holding their killer accountable,” he said.
