UPDATE: Tiptonville, TN – James Tatrow’s third attempt at parole has been met with strong opposition from both the victims’ families and the prosecutor, who argue that no amount of college credits can erase the brutality of a three-day torture and double murder. Tatrow, who killed two people in 1995 and dumped their bodies into Center Hill Lake, will remain behind bars for at least three more years.
57-Year-old Tatrow appeared before a parole board on Tuesday at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Records show this was the third time Tatrow had sought parole, and he has now been confined for a total of 30 years and two months. Tatrow first became eligible for parole on January 24, 2020—a date likely etched in his memory, as it was the same day in 1995 that he was arrested. Adding to the significance of that date, it came exactly 10 days after 26-year-old John Harry and 18-year-old Roger Zammit were kidnapped and murdered. A little over a year later, in 1996, Tatrow was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder.
During Tatrow’s parole hearing on April 8, parole board member Gary Faulcon recommended denial due to the “seriousness of the offense,” stating, “Your release from custody at this time would depreciate the seriousness of the crime.” At the hearing, Tatrow acknowledged responsibility for the double murder, saying, “I take full responsibility because it was my fault... If nothing else, I should have stopped it.” Tatrow added that he had limited memory of that night, stating, “I don’t have a clear recollection of the events,” according to a report filed by partner station WJLE. In contrast, DeKalb and Cumberland County District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway reminded the board that Tatrow had previously admitted to directly killing both victims and described the murders as “a three-day torturous situation.”
Family members of the victims spoke emotionally in opposition to Tatrow’s release, recounting the deep and lasting impact of the crimes. “Roger was 18 years old... he didn’t get the chance to do anything different,” said his sister, Jessica Zammit Boyer. Mariah King, Zammit’s daughter-in-law, added, “My children will never have their grandfather.”
Tatrow had several supporters present at the parole board hearing, including his mother, stepfather, and staff from his college program. Those speaking on his behalf highlighted his rehabilitation and educational accomplishments while incarcerated. “He graduated in 2024 with a 3.9 GPA and was Summa Cum Laude,” said Ashley Massey with the Tennessee Higher Education Initiative. During the hearing, Tatrow stated, “I have tried hard to be a better man every day.”
The seriousness of the crime remains a central obstacle in Tatrow’s path to parole, as emphasized by the District Attorney General. According to the DA, before the two victims died, they were cut, stabbed, and tied to chairs with wire wrapped around them. On the third day of being held hostage, bricks were tied to both victims before they were pushed off a 100-foot cliff into the frigid January waters of Center Hill Lake.
In Tennessee, a majority vote by the parole board is required to officially grant or deny parole. Following the hearing, board members reviewed the case and cast their votes, ultimately denying Tatrow's request. He will be eligible for another parole hearing in three years, placing his next opportunity in April 2028.
