A 62-year-old man has been convicted in the 2020 road-rage shooting death of another man in Blount County.

A jury on Thursday said Michael Wayne Harris, of Steele, is guilty of murder in the slaying of 22-year-old Dakota Colton Nunley.

The deadly shooting happened just after 5 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2020.

Blount County 911 received a series of 911 calls reporting a shooting on the side of Highway 75 near mile marker 15 in Remlap.

Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies responded to the scene where officers found Nunley. He had been shot in the chest with a handgun and was pronounced dead.

Witnesses told investigators Nunley had been shot by a man who fled in a silver Toyota 4Runner.

The Blount County Sheriff’s department issued a lookout bulletin and requested public assistance in locating the 4Runner.

Over the next week, investigators gathered evidence including video footage of a 4Runner that was in the area of the shooting during the time the shooting happened.

Jefferson County’s Metro Area Crime Center provided additional evidence that identified Harris as the owner of the suspect SUV.

On Dec. 10, 2020, Blount County Sheriff’s Office investigators contacted Harris about the incident.  He denied having any knowledge of the shooting.

A few days after the interview, investigators obtained cell phone records and additional evidence that placed Harris and his 4Runner at the scene of the shooting seconds before the 911 calls began.

Investigators interviewed Harris a second time on Dec. 17, 2020.  They provided Harris with more evidence and, at that point, he told them he “wanted to come clean.”

Authorities said he then confessed to killing Nunley, but claimed it was in self-defense.

He said Nunley and another motorist had attempted to run him off the road. All three vehicles stopped on the side of Highway 75, Harris and Nunley exited their vehicles, and Nunley shot Harris in the chest.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Harris fled the scene of the shooting, never reported the incident to law enforcement, turned off the main highway when he saw blue lights flashing and threw his 25 caliber Beretta into the woods to hide it from law enforcement.

Evidence also showed he lied to his wife about his involvement in the incident, lied to law enforcement officers during his initial interview, and continued to lie about his involvement until investigators presented evidence putting Harris at the murder scene at the time of the shooting.

During court room testimony in this week’s trial, prosecutors also got Harris to admit Nunley never pulled a weapon and never threatened Harris in any way.

This case was investigated by Blount County sheriff’s Sgt. Leonard Chambless.

Harris faces a minimum of 20 years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison.

A sentencing date has not yet been set.

“This was senseless and tragic.  It should have never happened,’’ said Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey. “Dakota was not armed and there was no evidence Dakota ever threatened Mr. Harris.”