Double fatal stabbing suspect Michael Mosley arrested in Cheatham County

Mariah Timms | Nashville Tennessean

Nashville police have arrested homicide suspect Michael Mosley after a days-long search in connection to the fatal stabbing of two men Saturday in Nashville's Midtown neighborhood.

Mosley, 23, is facing two counts of criminal homicide and one attempted homicide charge in connection to the assaults. Mosley was captured on Wednesday in Cheatham County. MNPD said he would be booked into Davidson County custody later on Wednesday.

He is being held without bond on the two criminal homicide charges, and a $5,000,000 bond was set for the attempted homicide charge on Wednesday night.

Earlier that day law enforcement surrounded a vacant home on Petway Road, where officers say Mosley was alone. He surrendered Wednesday afternoon, MNPD said.

A combined task force of MNPD SWAT, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents, U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force and Midtown Hills Precinct detectives, as well as Cheatham County Sheriff's deputies were involved in the arrest, MNPD said.

Clayton Beathard, 22, and Paul Trapeni III, 21, were fatally stabbed Dec. 21 at The Dogwood, a bar on Division Street. Another man, identified by police as a 21-year-old University of Tennessee student from Franklin, survived the stabbing with injuries to his eye and arm and was recovering this week.

Both victims who were killed were young men who were from Williamson County. Beathard was the brother of NFL quarterback C.J. Beathard of the San Francisco 49ers and country musician Tucker Beathard and son of country music songwriter Casey Beathard and grandson of NFL Hall of Fame executive Bobby Beathard.

"We are thankful that he is off of the streets. We are sad because two incredible young men are missed," said Casey Beathard.

"The only thing that holds us together is trusting God. We are in awe of all of the good we have already seen him working in and through this tragedy."

Related: Funeral arrangements set for fatal stabbing victims Clayton Beathard and Paul Trapeni

Thank you, too, to Cheatham County Sheriff Mike Breedlove & his team for the help in the Mosley search & apprehension. pic.twitter.com/XiFG0JoEcn — Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 25, 2019

Mosley was added Tuesday to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's Most Wanted list.

Gov. Bill Lee authorized a $10,000 reward contribution this week for information leading to Mosley's arrest. A group of Nashville businesses added $20,000 to that reward, as well as another $10,000 from sports journalist Clay Travis, the Associated Press reported. The TBI is also offering $2,500 for information that will lead to Mosley’s arrest.

It was not immediately clear if anyone was eligible for the reward money after Mosley's arrest.

The fatal attack started as an argument "over an unwanted advancement made by a man toward a woman in the bar," said a statement from Nashville police. The woman was a friend of the victims, MNPD spokesperson Don Aaron said.

Surveillance video retrieved by police detectives showed four people involved in the altercation, which began in the bar as a verbal dispute before spilling outside and then across the street, police said.

Mosley is one of those people in the surveillance video, police detectives said. Two other people in the video have been interviewed, but a fourth person — a man wearing a Nike sweatshirt — has not been found, police said.

Mosley's criminal history

Mosley's criminal history includes aggravated assault, attempted aggravated burglary and drug-related arrests dating back to 2014, according to court records.

At the time of the homicides, Mosley was free on $5,000 bond while facing a felony assault charge for punching and kicking a 37-year-old woman at a West Nashville Walmart in December 2018, Davidson County court records show.

It was not immediately clear if Mosley has legal representation.

Reach reporter Mariah Timms at mtimms@tennessean.com or 615-259-8344 and on Twitter @MariahTimms.