Terrible news out of Nashville this weekend.
Clay Beathard, son of Nashville songwriter Casey Beathard and the younger brother of country singer Tucker Beathard, was killed early yesterday morning after being stabbed outside of a bar in Midtown Nashville. Metro Police identified the 22-year old Beathard, as well as 21-year old Paul Trapeni, III as the two victims of the fatal stabbing that took place outside of Dogwood Bar. A third victim, a 21-year old male, was also stabbed but has since been treated and released from the hospital.
Police say that the stabbings “appear to have resulted from an argument over a woman that began inside Dogwood Bar and then turned physical when the parties went outside.”
Clayton Beathard played football at Long Island University, following in the footsteps of his older brother, San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard, and his grandfather, NFL Hall of Fame general manager Bobby Beathard. His father, Casey Beathard, is a well-known Nashville songwriter who has written songs with artists like Eric Church (“Like a Wrecking Ball” and “Homeboy”) and Kenny Chesney (“No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” and “The Boys of Fall”).
The Beathards issued an emotional statement to The Tennessean after their son’s death:
It’s times like this I wish had Instagram and social media because the love and prayers have been so overwhelming. We cannot possibly thank you at the rate they come in texts and phone calls. Clay was an amazing, big and soft hearted human being with an undeniable love for the Lord. He had his family’s, friends’ and teammates’ backs even to a fault. I wish he would have been more inclined to take the high road but he hated ‘wrong.’
Yes, he was stubborn sometimes but mostly because his beliefs were strong. He lived a full life except for the chance at being the incredible father I knew he would have been. He loved kids, underdogs and the less fortunate. His little sister was his world and his love and pride for his older brothers was off the charts. He will be missed. That is an understatement. Nobody’s light shined like his when he smiled.
That is what we will hold in our hearts because we know he is smiling now. He always worried about all of our welfare, never his own. I say that to say, to those who knew and loved him, please lean into the Lord’s strength, trust in the Lord and carry on. Carry him with you like a chip on your shoulder, like the one he carried. He loved people saying he could do something. That’s where he thrived mostly.
He was never afraid of a challenge so please, all of you, take on the next challenge with faith in God and knowing Clay is smiling down and has your back. I love all of you and I love for the gift he was to us for a little while. I beg that your thoughts and prayers go out to the whoever committed this act but the Trapeni family also. Paul was Clay’s teammate and friend at [Battle Ground Academy] who was also taken in the incident.”
No suspect in the stabbings has been taken into custody, with police calling it an “active investigation.” Earlier today, Metro Police released surveillance images of man wanted for questioning in the incident, and stated that they’re looking for male suspects with black clothing and facial hair.
Four local business are offering a $20,000 reward for any information that can identify the perpetrator. Dogwood Bar & Grill, attorney and property owner Bryan Lewis and Losers and Winners co-owners Steve Ford and Erv Woosley are each donating $5,000 respectively.
Man, just another senseless death and another life needlessly taken too soon.
Our prayers are with the families as they try to process this tragic loss.
