Ashleigh — Mckenzie

This report focuses on the life, career, and tragic death of , an Associate Professor of Sociology at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Career and Academic Contributions

: McKinzie received numerous regional and national accolades for her research, including honors from the American Society of Criminology, the Society for the Study of Social Problems, and Sociologists for Women in Society. ashleigh mckenzie

: Following her death, reports emerged that McKinzie had recently expressed fears for her safety. According to student accounts, she mentioned in class that she had filed for a restraining order just days before the shooting. Records later confirmed she had petitioned for two orders of protection . This report focuses on the life, career, and

: MTSU honored her memory by flying the campus flag at half-staff on December 10, 2025. Colleagues and students have shared extensive tributes reflecting on her "lasting positive impact". According to student accounts, she mentioned in class

: Her body was discovered on a highway near her home in Smithville with multiple gunshot wounds. A loaded and cocked handgun, which was registered to her, was found lying beside her.

: She taught courses focused on gender studies, social justice, and sociological theory. In the fall 2025 semester, she was teaching a course titled "Violence in the Family".

On the morning of December 4, 2025, McKinzie was found fatally shot in the middle of a roadway in DeKalb County, Tennessee.