A man who was one of the original teenagers who was once involved in Nashville's One-in-Teen program was killed on Thursday, March 19, at the Turney Center Industrial Prison.
Daniel Whalen, 32, who was serving a 10-year conviction for drug offenses, was found outside a prision cell around 7:30 a.m. He had been stabbed multiple times according to Tennessee Department of Correction spokeswoman Dorinda Carter.
No arrests have been made. Several units at the prison were locked down while the death is investigated.
DeWayne Fulton, president of OIT, said the group was saddened to hear of his death, and that as a teen, Whalen was involved in helping get the group off the ground.
Fulton added that he had heard rumors, that he could not confirm, that "Daniel had confronted an individual that had stolen the property of an elderly inmate in an attempt to recover the stolen items and the stabbing resulted from that confrontation.”
One-In-Teen Youth Services (OIT) is a Nashville-based youth agency serving sexual minority/GLBTQQ young adults from ages 14 to 21. OIT is the longest running such organization in the state of Tennessee and serves youth from all over Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky. It was formed in 1989.
As news spread of his death, former OIT members have posted comments on various news sites.
"I met Daniel 13 years ago when we were both teenagers. He was a great guy with a big heart. I hope that he gets remembered fondly despite his problems. He wasn't an evil man, he was a man with an addiction. He was paying for his crimes, and he was killed. So should his murderer(s) be. Rest in Peace, Daniel, we'll never forget you here in Nashville," wrote
'Steven G. and the OIT group from 97' on WBIR TV's site.