Vanessa Murtaugh Charged with Statutory Rape in Memphis

Vanessa Murtaugh, the former chairwoman of the Tennessee Inmate Disciplinary Oversight Board, has been indicted on charges of statutory rape by an authority figure and aggravated statutory rape. The indictment alleges that Murtaugh, 46, used her position of trust to engage in sexual acts with a minor aged 17 on January 10. Following her indictment on February 27, she resigned from her board position, which was created to review inmate disciplinary actions. Murtaugh previously served as an assistant district attorney in Shelby County until her appointment was terminated in 2022 due to unrelated issues. The Shelby County District Attorney's Office recused itself from the case to avoid potential bias, and the prosecution is now being handled by a district attorney from a different jurisdiction. Murtaugh is currently out on a $50,000 bond awaiting further legal proceedings.