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Court Documents Detail Crime Scene and Numerous Cellphone Search Warrants Involved in Deep Gap Homicide Case

Tristan Noah Borlase

By Nathan Ham

Documents provided by the Watauga County Clerk of Court’s office shed some light on what Watauga County Sheriff’s Deputies encountered on the night of April 10 when the bodies of Jeffery David Borlase and Tanya Maye Borlase were discovered at their home in Deep Gap.

According to an affidavit from Detective Matthew F. Rollins, a call was received by Watauga County Communications at 10:32 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10. Deputies were dispatched to Orchard Road in Deep Gap following a call from a family member that reported a lot of blood and three missing family members.

When deputies arrived, they discovered blood on stone steps of the walkway that leads to the house. Blood was also found on the porch and the doormats just before entering the house. The door was unlocked and deputies proceeded into the home. Blood was found on the floor just inside the door and a blood trail from the entrance going up the main stairs of the residence.

Outside, deputies searched the property and discovered Jeffery Borlase’s body under a hammock behind an outbuilding with puncture wounds to the abdomen.

Deputies continued to search the scene and located a truck in the woods that “appeared to be an attempt to hide the vehicle.” The truck, a 2001 Ford F-150, belonged to the family and had been reported missing. Deputies quickly discovered another deceased victim identified as Tanya Borlase. She was in the bed of the truck covered in a blanket with bags of mulch piled on top of her.

While detectives were still at the Deep Gap crime scene, court documents state that the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office was notified that Tristan Noah Borlase, 17, had been detained and taken into custody in Johnson County, Tennessee. Borlase was driving a truck that was registered to his father and had a female, Evelyn Faith Jackson, in the vehicle with him. According to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Borlase and Jackson both had blood on their clothing and search warrants were issued for both of their cellphones.

Tristan Borlase was charged with two counts of murder and is being held without bond. Borlase will appear in court on May 7. No additional charges against other individuals in this investigation are pending at this time. Defensive attorney Garland Baker is representing Borlase.

Other court documents show that search warrants were issued for the search of a home DVR, a ring.com doorbell camera system, a Snapchat account that is believed to belong to Tristan Borlase and a total of five cellphones that may have pertinent information involving the crimes that occurred.