Earlier today, a reader sent us a heads-up that Angie Solomon, mother of the late Grant Solomon, was arrested by Franklin, TN, law enforcement on Friday on allegations that she participated in a murder-for-hire plot involving her ex-husband, Aaron Solomon. Following are our thoughts and reactions.
First, our immediate suspicion is that Angie’s been framed or entrapped. To be clear, our experience with Franklin law enforcement is anything but positive—and that comes from our first-hand efforts to obtain information from the agency.
Moreover, it’s important to look at the context. Governor Lee’s administration is not only scary corrupt, but its ties to Christian nationalism are enough to give anyone loyal to our democratic system of government the willies.
Into that putrid mix, we can add Steve Berger, an avowed white supremacist who welcomes pedophiles to his church and hates the LGBTQ+ community. Not to mention Sam Johnson, whose weird behavior after Grant Solomon’s death, his bullying of a same-sex high school couple, and alleged extramarital affairs, combined with his purported role as Berger’s enforcer at Grace Chapel, all add up to one loathsome human being.
So, how are Berger and Johnson relevant?
The answer is simple: Berger has ties not only with Governor Bill Lee but is also friends with and a housemate of House Speaker Mike Johnson. And Rep. Ogles, who is the subject of numerous rumors about a possible sexual assault.
In other words, we have a Nazi living with the person immediately in line for the presidency if JD Vance were out of the picture. And that person is evil, cruel, and abusive, as is Steve Berger. Something about birds of a feather.
Nor do we believe for one instant Berger’s claim that Grant Solomon came to him in the weeks prior to his death to ask how to get closer to Jesus.
So, at a time when the US government is “disappearing” people, it’s fair to conclude that Aaron Solomon and his buddies have the power to abuse the legal system, and both could and would do so if given an opportunity. Thus, we are immediately suspicious when it comes to Angie Solomon’s arrest.
Second, the alacrity with which the Franklin police department and TBI appear to be going after these allegations is disturbing. Did we see anything similar from them when it comes to the unanswered questions about Gracie and Grant?
The answer is an emphatic no.
In a system that is not supposed to show favor or bias toward any person or group, law enforcement’s disinterest in Grant and Gracie’s welfare is disturbing.
Some, true to form, will try to write off these concerns. But we need to remember the guardian ad litem in the Solomon divorce, who begged the court in her written report to look more closely into the circumstances of Grant’s death, only to be ignored. Here’s what she wrote:
Now, there’s an 18 year old that’s dead, with no investigation into his death, the only witness is Aaron and the reports of the incident are incomplete at best. Please investigate these incidents, so that Angie and Gracie may have some protection and possibly even some peace in their lives and so that no other person will be able to use the system the way Aaron has been able to.
Nor should we forget that allegations of child sexual abuse are almost invariably accurate.That begs the question: Why would Gracie, Grant, and Angie lie? Both Grant and Gracie are smart, insightful, and honest — and it’s not easy to come forward with such allegations.
Indeed, victims of child sexual abuse wait, on average, 23.9 years to come forward in one Australian study; others suggest the answer is 40 or more years. This delay is the result of the trauma and embarrassment inherent in being sexually abused.
Consequently, it is essential that law enforcement, the media, and the public take Grant and Gracie’s allegations seriously.
Thus, Angie’s arrest underscores the need for law enforcement to address these issues.
Third, even if Angie did plot Aaron’s death, this doesn’t discredit what Grant and Gracie have said
We again emphasize that we have deep reservations about the underlying allegations against Angie.
But even if they are true, they come with an important caveat: How would any rational person act if their former husband allegedly tried to kill them, rape their daughter, and murder their son?
To be clear, we deplore violence of any sort. But it’s difficult to categorically state that we would not try to kill someone who allegedly behaved so badly. And if we’re candid with ourselves, a lot of people would probably say they couldn’t rule out the possibility when a son is dead and a daughter alleges rape.
Further, while murder overwhelmingly is a crime committed by men, it’s well-established that victims of abuse sometimes can and do respond with violence. Moreover, our legal system struggles to respond appropriately to these issues.
Then, there is another possibility, which is that of mental illness.
Indeed, if Aaron abused his wife and kids — and we firmly believe he did — PTSD and other forms of mental illness would be more expected than not. Thus, even if the allegations against Angie are entirely true, we need to view them in context. And we need to not discredit the allegations involving Grant and Gracie based on any allegations involving Angie.
We reiterate: We do not believe Angie is guilty.
Fourth, Phil Williams’ glee in tagging Angie on social media is ugly and inappropriate. Williams couldn’t be bothered to do squat about Grant Solomon’s death, but now he’s all over things?
Spare us.
Let’s also not forget that Angie is a parent who lost a son in searingly painful circumstances. She’s a parent whose daughter was allegedly raped. And she’s a human being whose husband allegedly tried to kill her. Thus, we are appalled at Williams’ lack of compassion and empathy.
Moreover, Williams’ blocking of people on social media who ask him about these issues bespeaks someone who is both biased and insecure. It’s hardly consistent with journalistic integrity — and it’s ironic, as he makes fun of other people who block folks on social media.
And even with rumors swirling about witnesses coming forward who say they saw Grant running after his pickup truck the morning of his death, we still have numerous unanswered questions:
- Why did Aaron lie about his relationship with Grant prior to the latter’s death? Arguably, it’s because Aaron obtained narcissistic supply by trading on Grant’s athletic prowess. Even so, this is a case of red flags in all directions. And to be clear, Grant and Aaron DID NOT routinely play ball together.
- Why the suspect 911 call? Even to the casual listener, there’s something very off about Aaron’s call to 911, including both its tone and content. As in, how could Aaron have been sitting in his vehicle, yet know from the top of the hill what happened to his son?
- Why the fabrication by Aaron prior to Grant’s death about having an appointment at Ward Performance Academy? It is indisputable that Aaron insisted on meeting that morning but didn’t have an appointment. And why the sudden urgency?
- How did Grant’s cell phone wind up with one of Aaron’s colleagues, and why did Aaron lie about it? Recall: Aaron told this ludicrous story at Grant’s funeral about how a good Samaritan found the phone and became a Christian as a result. The reality is the phone mysteriously made its way to the home of WSMV anchor Holly Thompson. Again, how and why?
- Why did Aaron commit insurance fraud regarding Grant’s truck? Even just as a matter of risk management, few parents would drive a truck that allegedly killed their child. Yet Aaron, ever litigious, did nothing in terms of suing the manufacturer. Why?
In other words, more than one thing can simultaneously be true, and even if these witnesses from the morning of Grant’s death really did come forward, we still have many unanswered questions. Further, the list above is just a small part of the many unanswered questions we have.
Law enforcement needs to take these issues just as seriously as it is doing so with its efforts to ruin Angie.
Next steps
Sources close to the matter tell us that Gracie is safe. We’ve left a message for her asking if there is anything we can do to help.
Meanwhile, we urge:
- All involved to continue to demand answers to the questions about Grant’s death and Gracie’s alleged sexual abuse.
- People to keep an open mind to the possibility that Angie’s arrest is the result of official corruption and not assume she is guilty.
- That the public remember that the allegations involving Grant and Gracie remain valid concerns, regardless of what Angie may have done — or not done.
- The media and others to ask tough questions. For instance, why have the TBI and local law enforcement taken a pass on Grant’s death, despite a facially inadequate “investigation”? Why is the Franklin PD suddenly trumpeting Angie’s arrest, yet it has ignored previous inquiries about Aaron? And why the bit about “no further information?” Isn’t the public entitled to know what’s going on?
- What issues does Angie’s arrest raise in light of the fact that her nemesis, Christian nationalist/Nazi Steve Berger, is living with the speaker of the house, Mike Johnson? Recall: Berger claims that Grant came to him, just weeks before his death, to ask “how to get closer to Jesus.” Leaving aside the fact Berger wouldn’t know Jesus if the latter ran him over with a pickup truck, we don’t believe for an instant that this is the topic that was discussed. And Berger’s bit about his dead son appearing to him at Grace Chapel is not just creepy—it suggests to us that Berger needs help. The fact that Berger sits at the very epicenter of American democracy is profoundly concerning. And the fact that Sam Johnson, one of most loathsome people we’ve ever encountered, is a welcome part of the Berger inner circle (and purportedly Berger’s “enforcer” at Grace Chapel), is nothing short of appalling. In other words, none of this passes the sniff test.
In short, Angie’s arrest doesn’t assuage any of our concerns, but instead increases them. And at the center of all our concerns is Aaron Solomon, who, at a minimum, appears to be a sociopathic liar.
Finally, please know we welcome any and all tips, leads, and clues in this matter. We intend to keep a close eye on this situation, and hope others will help us in doing so.
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