Natalie Neysa Alund

USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee

A woman who was fatally stabbed early Tuesday morning at a home in Wedgewood has been identified by police as Tiffany Ferguson, 23, of Nashville.

Ferguson, who was a nurse at Saint Thomas West Hospital, was found unconscious in her apartment in the 700 block of Wedgewood Park just after 5:40 a.m. authorities said.

At 5:41 a.m., police and the Nashville Fire Department responded to a 911 call from the victim's apartment and found Ferguson inside suffering from multiple stab wounds, Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said.

She was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Aaron said surveillance video outside Wedgewood Apartments shows a man walking up to vehicles checking doors looking for easy entry. In the video, Aaron said, the same person appears to also be checking apartment doors for easy access.

"That same person is believed to have gone into the victim's apartment, stolen certain items from inside and stabbed the victim," he said.

Although the surveillance video is dark, the suspect appears to be wearing a hoodie and jeans with tears between the knee and thigh areas on the back of the pants as well as boots.

Officers throughout the area know of the suspect's description and are looking for him. Aaron said he was last seen walking away on Ridley Boulevard behind the apartment buildings.

He also said the suspect appears to have arrived in the area on foot and left the immediate area on foot.

Officers continued to investigate the scene of Ferguson's death into the late afternoon and early evening and two crime scene units remained parked outside. Yellow police tape surrounded the front of the tall brick apartment building where she lived.

Saint Thomas Health and Ascension spokesman Nick Paranjape said Ferguson, who is from Loretto, Tenn. in Lawrence County, was a critical care nurse at the hospital that Ferguson worked. She had worked at the hospital for less than one year, he said.

Her death marks the 13th criminal homicide in Nashville so far this year.

Anyone with information about the case or the suspect is asked to call police at 615-742-7463.

Ariana Sawyer also contributed to this story. Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at 615-259-8072 and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.