Suvechha Sarkar
In the episode titled ‘Shot in the Dark’ of ABC’s ‘Bad Romance,’ which is a special edition of ’20/20,’ the focus is on the 2016 homicide of the 16-year-old high school student, Emma Jane Walker, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her vibrant life came to a sudden halt when she was shot dead in her home. Investigators soon began examining a past string of mysterious messages and reports of an unknown figure, who had frightened Emma in the days before her death. Moreover, the episode explores the details of the murder through interviews with her loved ones and officials.
Emma Walker Was Found Dead in Her Bedroom by Her Mother
Mark and Jill Walker’s lives were overjoyed when they welcomed their daughter, Emma Jane Walker, into their lives on March 20, 2000. Born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, she never missed a chance to showcase her love for her brother, Evan Walker. She was known among her friends and family for her cheerful personality and kind nature. Jill revealed that during her childhood, Emma participated in competitive gymnastics and dance. When the latter began attending Central High School, she tried out for the cheerleading team and became the only freshman to be selected for the squad.
Emma was also a proud member of the BETA Club, Young Life, and the student organization, HOSA. She had always aspired to become a NICU Nurse and help people in need. In the fall of 2014, she began dating William Riley Gaul, who was a junior on her school’s football team. By 2016, they were unable to work out their relationship and went their separate ways. Unfortunately, Emma’s life turned upside down on November 21, 2016. On that fateful morning, Jill went to her daughter’s bedroom to wake her up but found the 16-year-old unresponsive. The mother immediately called 911 to report the situation. When authorities arrived, they sadly found Emma dead on her bed.
The case shifted to homicide when detectives found a bullet hole near Emma’s bed. They determined that she was shot in the head. A second bullet was uncovered, lodged in a pillow. Further inspection of the home’s exterior revealed two bullet holes. Investigators also discovered two spent shell casings in the grass. The trajectory of the bullets indicated that they were fired from outside the house. According to court documents, ballistic experts determined that she was shot using a 9 mm handgun. The autopsy report revealed that one of the shots had struck her behind her left ear. Emma’s cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the head.
Statements From Emma’s Family and Friends Led Officials to Riley Gaul
Initially, Emma’s friends informed officials that in the days leading up to the murder, the 16-year-old had told them that she was receiving suspicious texts, threatening her to come out of her home alone. According to investigators, the texts were later corroborated by her cellphone records. According to reports, in another instance, a man dressed in all black banged on the door of her parents’ house when Emma was alone at her home, but she wasn’t harmed. When officials reviewed the CCTV footage from a neighboring house, they saw the man, but his face was not visible. Her parents and friends also told investigators that they suspected Riley because the former pair had split due to his alleged controlling nature.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that digital forensic experts had checked her cellphone records and uncovered angry text messages she received from Riley. Police records indicate that when he was interrogated, he claimed that on the night of the murder, he was at the house of his friend, Noah Walton, and spent the night there. In his statements, he admitted to calling Emma from his friend’s mobile after she blocked his number, because he wanted them to get back together. Officials then learned from his friends that Riley had claimed he was abducted a few days before the murder and was later dropped off near a location where Emma was attending a party.
Riley Gaul’s Friends Cooperated With Authorities to Aid His Arrest
According to court documents, Riley’s friend, Alex McCarty, contacted the detectives and informed them that after the alleged kidnapping, Riley had said to his friends that he had stolen his grandfather’s gun for protection. Moreover, Noah also reported having a conversation with Riley, in which the latter had asked how to remove fingerprints from a gun. However, during his questioning, Emma’s former boyfriend denied having a firearm. As the investigation continued, Noah and Alex agreed to wear a wire under police surveillance and speak with Riley. Official records indicate that the friends also had a video camera hidden in a key fob. It captured Riley asking them to accompany him to dispose of his grandfather’s gun.
As Alex, Noah, and Riley headed out in a car, with Emma’s former boyfriend holding a garbage bag, officials reportedly began tailing them. Around 11 pm on November 22, 2016, Riley was arrested from an apartment parking lot in Knoxville. When authorities searched the garbage bag, they discovered a gun, gloves, tennis shoes, and black clothes. He was eventually charged with the murder of Emma. In January 2017, he was indicted on the charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, tampering with evidence, aggravated stalking, theft of property, reckless endangerment, and employing a firearm during a dangerous felony.
Riley Gaul is Serving His Sentence at a Tennessee Prison Facility Today
Riley’s jury trial commenced on May 1, 2018, during which the prosecution presented several pieces of evidence and witnesses. They produced his recorded video, in which he asked Noah and Alex to tell the authorities that they were under the influence when they told police that the defendant had a gun. The prosecution argued that the crime was premeditated and highlighted his tumultuous relationship with Emma. Although the defense did not dispute that Riley had fired the shots, they claimed that he had no intent to kill her. Before the trial, he had claimed that he had fabricated his kidnapping story to gain Emma’s attention.
Based on that, the defense claimed that Riley had fired the shots to frighten Emma so that he could act as a “hero” and rescue her, in hopes of getting back together with her. On May 8, 2018, he was convicted of all the charges against him, with the aggravated stalking charge being reduced to the lesser charge of stalking. Subsequently, the felony-murder conviction was merged with the first-degree premeditated murder conviction. Riley was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 51 years for murder. In September 2018, the judge ordered that the sentences on the remaining charges would run concurrently with his current life sentence.
Riley later appealed his convictions, but on February 27, 2023, the Appellate Court affirmed his remaining convictions and reduced the theft conviction to a Class A misdemeanor. The court then sentenced him to 11 months and 29 days in prison for that charge and remanded the case to the Trial Court for an amended judgment. His further appeals were denied by the Supreme Court, but he was again set to appear in court on July 25, 2025, for a post-conviction relief petition. However, it is worth noting that the public reports do not provide further information about the hearing. Riley is currently incarcerated at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee.
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