On Friday, September 5, 2025, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Corrections personnel assigned to the George Unit responded to an incident in which an inmate was critically injured during an inmate-on-inmate assault involving a makeshift weapon.
Within one minute of the attack, Corrections staff and contract medical personnel began administering medical aid to the injured inmate, identified as Leslie Walker. Hamilton County EMS was dispatched to the jail, however, Walker succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital.
Leslie Walker was booked into the Hamilton County Jail on May 18, 2020, for the following charges:
- Attempted Murder in the 1st Degree
- Possession of a Firearm with Felony Conviction
- Possessing a Firearm During the Commission or Attempt to Commit a Felony
- Possessing a Firearm with the Intent to Go Armed
- Aggravated Assault
- Reckless Endangerment
- Violation of Probation (Vandalism)
Immediately following the assault, the suspect, Inmate Christopher Walton, barricaded himself inside his cell requiring HCSO Corrections Special Response Team (SRT) personnel to enter and extract him.
At the time of this incident, Walton was in custody at the Hamilton County Jail for the following charges. He was originally booked into the Hamilton County Jail on February 23, 2025.
- Possession Of Firearm with Prior Felony Conviction
- Possession Of Firearm with Prior Felony Drug Conviction
- Harassment
- Violation of Order of Protection
- Assault
- Contraband In Penal Institutions
- Stalking
- Vandalism
- Aggravated Assault
- Stalking
- Violation of Order of Protection
Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp was notified and directed the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to conduct the investigation into the death. Once the homicide investigation is complete, all findings will be turned over for review by District Attorney Wamp.
The HCSO asks you to keep the family of Leslie Walker in your thoughts during this difficult time.
This is the fourth in-custody death to occur at the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center this year.