Oak Ridge couple charged in brutal death, rape, torture of woman

UPDATE (5:45 p.m.) – A couple is facing first-degree murder 
charges after police say they lured a woman into their home, 
beat and raped her before strangling her to death.

Oak Ridge Police responded to a possible homicide call in the 
300 block of East Fairview Road around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Oak Ridge Police SWAT and members of the 7th Judicial Crime Task 
Force were able to execute a search warrant obtained by police 
and District Attorney General Dave Clark’s office for the 
residence around 4:30 a.m. Thursday.

During the search, they found the body of a 36-year-old woman. 
The identity of the woman is being withheld pending notification 
of the family.

Sean Finnegan, 52, and Rebecca Dishman, 22, were arrested.

According to the warrants, Finnegan and Dishman lured the woman 
into the residence with the promise of a place to stay in 
December 2019.

Once at the home the two held the woman against her will with 
restraints, attacked her with a baseball bat, tortured, raped, 
deprived her of food and medical care, strangled her to death 
and left her broken body in a stand-up freezer, the warrants 
said.

Knowing that a police investigation may take place, the couple 
used cleaning products to remove evidence from the home and the 
victim’s body. Finnegan also removed the body from the freezer 
and hid it under a bed while he attempted to clean evidence from 
the freezer.

Finnegan and Dishman admitted to these facts post-Miranda, 
arrest warrants show.

Finnegan and Dishman each face charges of first-degree murder, 
aggravated kidnapping, abuse of a corpse and tampering with 
evidence. Finnegan faces additional aggravated rape and abuse of 
a corpse charges. Dishman faces additional aggravated sexual 
battery and tampering with evidence charges.

Both suspects remain in jail and the investigation is ongoing.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) – Two suspects are in custody in 
connection to a homicide in Oak Ridge that was reported 
Wednesday evening.

Oak Ridge Police responded to a home in the 300 block of East 
Fair View Road on Wednesday at about 7:39 p.m. A search of the 
home located the body of a 36-year-old female who died from an 
apparent homicide.

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending 
notification of the family.

At 4:26 a.m. Thursday, a search warrant was served at the 
residence, with assistance of ORPD SWAT Team and members of the 
7th Judicial Crime Task Force.

Both suspects remain in custody. The investigation remains 
ongoing.

Anyone with information that may help investigators is asked to 
call ORPD at (865) 425-4399. Crime tips can also be submitted 
online at http://oakridgetn.gov/department/ORPD/Home. 
Information can be given anonymously.

https://www.wate.com/news/two-oak-ridge-homicide-suspects-in-
custody/