Property and Evidence

The Property and Evidence Section has the responsibility of receiving, storing, releasing and maintaining security for the vast majority of all criminal evidence, stolen and found property, which is recovered by the deputies and investigators of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.

The Property and Evidence Section, as an element of the Investigative Services Division, has the overall mission to accept, catalog, safeguard, store, produce as required, return to legal owner or otherwise legally dispose of all property coming into the custody of the Sheriff of Rutherford County. As an evidence management system, the majority of the property managed by the Property unit is evidence required for criminal cases. However, other categories of property include the safekeeping of found property, decedent's property, seized contraband, serological evidence, as well as property confiscated for forfeiture proceedings.

The property received by this section includes money, credit cards, narcotics, jewelry, firearms, various other weapons, general property of every description and value, and a wide range of vehicles. The incoming property is classified according to the nature of the acquisition, in other words; as evidence, as found property, or as personal, confiscated property. All the property is further categorized according to specific types (money, narcotics, valuables, firearms, and warehouse items) and are subject to strict legal and processing constraints. Evidence property is regularly signed out for presentation in criminal court proceedings. In some cases, evidence property may be retained by the Section for several decades, as criminal cases and potential appeals may surface at any time in the future. In certain homicide cases, the District Attorney General’s Office requires that property be retained until all the known suspects are deceased. Property that can be legally returned to its rightful owner (or the owner’s representative) is processed in a timely manner. Narcotics, illegal firearms and seized contraband are destroyed when it is no longer required for legal proceedings. Unclaimed general property and vehicles are disposed through public auctions. Impounded vehicles are returned to their rightful owners (or the owner’s representative) upon payment of the levied charges.

Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office
940 New Salem Highway
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Phone: (615) 898-7913

Hours of standard operation: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
The public service hours require appointment for the return of property.
Inquiries can be made by calling 615-898-7913.