Park Predators: “The Robbery” (December 16, 2025)

Podcast: Park Predators
Host: Delia D'Ambra (Audiochuck)
Episode Focus: The unsolved 2017 murder and attempted robbery of Kathy Hardy in Renaissance Park, Chattanooga, Tennessee, as told through investigative journalism and firsthand interviews.

Episode Overview

Delia D’Ambra takes listeners deep into Renaissance Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to unravel a haunting, unsolved case. In July 2017, Kathy Hardy was killed during an apparent robbery while her husband, Shawn Hardy, survived. Delia’s investigation uniquely centers Shawn’s voice, with his first in-depth public interview. The case, which remains unresolved, reveals not just the brutality and randomness of violence in public spaces, but also the lingering effects of trauma, suspicion, and the quest for justice.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene and Introducing the Case (02:13–05:00)

• Delia introduces Renaissance Park: an urban park in Chattanooga, transformed from an industrial space, popular with residents and visitors.
• She emphasizes that the crime "remains shrouded in mystery and still needs resolution" (03:54).

2. The Night of the Crime: July 15, 2017 (05:00–07:53)

• Kathy and Shawn Hardy, visiting from Huntsville, Alabama, planned a relaxing night at Renaissance Park.
• They joined crowds enjoying a movie night, walked along the river, and admired sculptures.
• Suddenly, Shawn felt a gun pressed to his head; a man's voice forced him and Kathy onto a pier.
• Three men were involved, demanding the couple’s belongings. The robbery escalated—Shawn intervened when the assailants ordered Kathy to undress.
• Violence erupted: Shawn was struck, heard gunshots, and fell below the pier, unable to see Kathy but heard her scream, then two more gunshots.
• Shawn struggled up the embankment for help, eventually reaching a security guard who called 911.

“Once they were out on the pier, Shawn turned around and saw that there were actually three men behind him, not just one.” (05:43)

3. Immediate Aftermath and Shawn’s Treatment by Police (07:54–10:40)

• Police arrived after midnight, found Kathy dead on the pier.
• Shawn, injured and traumatized, was treated as a primary suspect—endured an intense eight-hour interrogation.
• He described feeling so gaslit by police he “nearly became convinced that he'd committed the crime, even though he knew he hadn't.” (09:30)
• Eventually, witness statements and surveillance footage corroborated his story.
  • Police identified three men fleeing the scene in a white Dodge Charger.

“He felt like he was being treated as a suspect from the get go and that investigators did not believe his story.” (09:00)

4. Kathy and Shawn’s Story (10:41–12:59)

• Their history: high school sweethearts who overcame hardship, raised two close sons. Kathy remembered as peaceful and kind.
• The violence robbed their family of a central figure, and Shawn remains deeply affected, grappling with guilt and grief.

“She usually tried to find the good in everyone and was always kind, regardless of what was going on in her own life.” (12:11)

5. The Investigation and First Suspect: Tyre Corley (14:25–18:55)

• Police cross-referenced nearby robberies—linked to Tyre Corley via another holdup and car description.
• Shawn identified Tyre in a photo lineup immediately.
• Tyre was arrested and charged but attempted suicide in jail, dying shortly after. Charges were dropped posthumously.
  • Notably, Tyre reportedly confessed to involvement and named an accomplice—Davohnte Sadler—before dying.

“Within seconds of seeing the lineup, Sean immediately identified the 22-year-old as the man who'd held him and Kathy at gunpoint and presumably shot his wife.” (15:16)

“He confessed to his role in Kathy's murder and he'd named at least one of his accomplices as the trigger man. That individual's name was Davohnte Sadler.” (18:45)

Memorable Moment:

At Kathy’s funeral, her favorite song “99 Red Balloons” inspired the release of 99 red and 1 white balloon.

“All 99 red balloons got stuck in trees, but the single white one drifted off on its own into the sky.” (18:13)

6. Lawsuit and Second Suspect: Davohnte Sadler (22:15–26:00)

• Tyre Corley’s family filed and lost a wrongful death suit against the jail.
• In 2019, police arrested Davohnte Sadler for felony murder and robbery.
  • Break came via a body cam recording at his mother’s house where she implicated him.
  • Shawn recognized Davohnte, but defense challenged the reliability of his identification.
• Despite the judge finding probable cause, the case never proceeded to indictment or trial. Davohnte was later released, arrested again in 2023 on unrelated drug charges.
  • All records for the murder case have since been expunged or withheld.

“A body worn camera on an officer who'd responded to that call Captured davo's mom making a statement that implicated davo was involved in what had happened to kathy.” (23:17)

“I’m having a hard time understanding … why the police department won’t release information about the January 2019 domestic incident or Davohnte's alleged involvement in Kathy's case if they've expunged the murder charges …” (27:54)

7. The Third Suspect and Ongoing Investigation (28:14–29:34)

• The third assailant has not been publicly identified and remains at large.
• Chattanooga PD emphasized their ongoing commitment:

“The Chattanooga police department's homicide investigators haven't given up on finding the third suspect involved in the 2017 murder of Kathy Hardy, and they won't.” (28:14)

• Davohnte Sadler remains a person of interest, not a charged suspect as of this episode. (29:14–29:34)

8. The Lingering Impact: Shawn and the Family (29:35–32:55)

• Shawn describes his ongoing struggle, survivor’s guilt, and frustration with the lack of progress or information from police.
• He suspects the park’s prominent status in Chattanooga led to less coverage and less urgency.
• Shawn last heard from police in 2019, feels "law enforcement has gone to sleep on this case."
• Kathy’s belongings remain in police evidence; Shawn hopes for renewed forensic investigation.

“He wants to get his story out there so that resolution can hopefully come. To this day, Shawn says Chattanooga PD still has all of Kathy's clothing and he hopes they will look at reassessing that evidence.” (31:47)

9. Appeal for Information (32:56–33:32)

• The episode ends with a plea to the public for any witnesses or leads, emphasizing that even small details could make a difference.

“If you were in Renaissance Park in the late evening hours of July 15, 2017, or the early morning hours of July 16, or have had conversations with people about this case in the years since, come forward.” (32:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being interrogated

  • “There was one point where he said he had this wild moment where he nearly became convinced that he'd committed the crime, even though he knew he hadn't.” —Delia D'Ambra (09:30)

• On police focus

  • “It angered him because he felt like the police had wasted valuable time while Kathy's killers got further and further away.” —Delia D'Ambra (10:05)

• On frustration with the case

  • “He told me during his interview that it's been years since he's heard anything from the police department or district attorney's office. He claimed that the last time he got a call was back in 2019.” —Delia D'Ambra (31:21)

• From the police

  • “The Chattanooga police department's homicide investigators haven't given up on finding the third suspect involved in the 2017 murder of Kathy Hardy, and they won't.” —Chattanooga PD Representative (28:14)

Key Timestamps

• 02:13 — Introduction to the case and Renaissance Park
• 05:00–07:53 — Detailed account of the robbery and murder
• 09:00–09:30 — Shawn’s interrogation experience
• 14:25–18:55 — Investigation leads to Tyre Corley, his arrest, and death
• 22:15–26:00 — Arrest of Davohnte Sadler; legal challenges
• 28:14 — Chattanooga PD statement on the ongoing investigation
• 32:56–33:32 — Community appeal for information

Tone and Style

Delia’s narrative is empathetic, measured, and always rooted in actual statements and documentation. She privileges victim and survivor voices—especially Shawn’s—while scrutinizing law enforcement’s actions and the gaps in communication and transparency. The episode is straightforward but suffused with emotion, frustration, and a lingering hope for justice.

Summary

“The Robbery” is a thorough, moving exploration of the killing of Kathy Hardy, a violent incident that shattered a family and highlighted persistent issues in violent crime investigations. Though leads emerged and arrests were made, the case remains unsolved—one suspect dead, another unindicted, the third unidentified. Shawn Hardy's account adds both raw humanity and a driving sense of injustice, as the system’s faltering pursuit leaves the family grasping for answers and accountability. Delia D’Ambra’s reporting, coupled with the heartfelt pleas of those left behind, underscores the urgency for closure and the necessity of keeping cold cases alive in the public eye.

For further information or to report tips:

• Chattanooga Area Crime Stoppers: 423-698-3333
• Chattanooga Police Department Tip Line: 423-643-5100