Witnesses said Glen Allen Donaldson was calm after killing his son-in-law on Dec. 29, 2016, saying, "I'm just sitting here waiting for the law."
Donaldson, 57, is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of 39-year-old Adam Levi.
The jury in the courtroom of Judge Don Poole was told that Donaldson left the residence on Niles Terrace where Levi was living and drove to the parking lot of Regions Bank a couple of miles away. He then called his brother at Rising Fawn and then police.
In the 911 call made at 9:08 p.m., he said, "Me and my son-in-law had an altercation at his house."
Asked if the victim was still alive, Donaldson said, "I doubt it."
He said Levi "had gone through a divorce and been on drugs." He said Levi was washing dishes when he came toward him with a knife, saying, "I'll cut you." He said, "I was scared for my life so I shot him. He's laying in the kitchen floor."
Prosecutors say Levi was shot in the back of the head at close range and no knife was found on him or near him. The defense points to a knife found in a dish drain by the sink where the water was still running.
Detective James Gienapp said he did not collect the knife because it had a mug lid leaning on it and it did not appear to be pertinent to the case.
Defense attorney Ben MacGowan asked about the possibility that the knife could have been tossed into the drain and the lid fell on top of it. He also said some investigators have been known to shift evidence around. Detective Gienapp said he had not known of that happening at the Sheriff's Office.
Multiple officers went to the bank parking lot and told Donaldson to come out with his hands up.
A Ruger 380 pistol was found lying on the passenger seat.
David Myrick, who was with Collegedale Police at the time and is now with East Ridge, said Donaldson "was very compliant."
Detective Ric Whaley said it was decided to charge Donaldson with first-degree murder "because of the location of the gunshot and it was the type of shot into the central nervous system that was like turning off a light switch. He would have fallen where he was shot, and he fell facing the sink.
"If a knife had been in his hand, it would have fallen on the floor."
Of the knife in the dish drain he said, "I don't see how he could have put the lid on it after he was shot."
An expert from the TBI Crime Lab said blood found on the front of blue jeans that Donaldson was wearing matched that of Adam Levi.
The jury is to hear from Assistant Medical Examiner Stephen Cogswell on Thursday morning as the state's final witness.