FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
West Precinct detectives continue to ask the Middle Tennessee community for help as they work to identify the killer of Erik Helffenstein, who was shot to death on Highway 100 in Bellevue one year ago this week.
Helffenstein, 45, was fatally shot on October 29, 2018, while pursuing burglars who had been seen breaking into a vehicle parked outside his Meadow Ridge Circle home in the Traceside subdivision. When Helffenstein went outside to confront the car burglars, they fled in a black SUV. Helffenstein pursued them in his vehicle. As they traveled on Highway 100, shots were fired from the burglars’ getaway SUV at Helffenstein. He was hit and died.
The vehicle from which the shots were fired, a black Nissan Rogue stolen in Mt. Juliet, was recovered one year ago today from a parking area of Highlands at the Lake Apartments on Arbor Lake Boulevard in Hermitage. The vehicle was impounded and processed for evidence. Even though the investigation led to the identification of two men who used stolen credit cards belonging to the owner of the Nissan Rogue, neither has provided any significant information concerning Helffenstein’s murder.
While the MNPD Crime Laboratory is involved in ongoing efforts to develop scientific evidence in this case that could lead to the identification of Helffenstein’s killer, West Precinct detectives ask that anyone in this region who has information on this case, including overhearing potentially involved persons talk about what took place, call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward.
