Knoxville

Overview

Knoxville is the county seat of Knox County in East Tennessee, with a metropolitan population of approximately 900,000 people. Situated along the Tennessee River at the western edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, Knoxville is home to the University of Tennessee and serves as the commercial and cultural center of the East Tennessee region. The city is known for its vibrant downtown, historic Market Square, and the iconic Sunsphere from the 1982 World's Fair.

The Geoffrey Paschel case

The case central to Worst Ex Ever Season 2 Episode 2 ("Primetime Predator") unfolded in Knoxville. Geoffrey Paschel, known nationally from his appearance on the TLC reality series 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, attacked his partner Kristen Chapman at her Knoxville home on June 9, 2019. The attack involved strangulation, repeated blows to the head, and the seizure of Chapman's phone to prevent her from calling for help. Paschel was subsequently arrested by Knoxville police and charged with aggravated kidnapping, domestic assault, and interference with emergency calls.

The case attracted unusual attention in Knoxville due to Paschel's television fame. Local media covered the proceedings extensively, and the intersection of reality TV celebrity with serious domestic violence charges became a topic of community discussion. The Netflix true crime docuseries Worst Ex Ever later brought the Knoxville case to a global audience, examining how Paschel's public persona contrasted with the violence described by his victim.

The Knox County court system

Geoffrey Paschel's trial took place in Knox County Criminal Court, housed in the City County Building in downtown Knoxville. The Knox County court system handles criminal cases for the county's approximately 480,000 residents and is part of Tennessee's Sixth Judicial District. The Paschel trial was assigned to Judge Kyle Hixson, who presided over both the October 2021 trial and the February 2022 sentencing hearing.

The trial drew significant public interest, with spectators and media filling the courtroom. Jury selection was complicated by Paschel's television fame — potential jurors had to be screened for familiarity with 90 Day Fiancé and any preconceptions about the defendant. The Knox County jury ultimately convicted Paschel on all three charges on October 22, 2021, and Judge Hixson sentenced him to 18 years in prison without parole on February 4, 2022.

Impact on the Knoxville community

The Paschel case prompted increased discussion about domestic violence in the Knoxville area. Local advocacy organizations reported heightened public awareness and engagement following both the trial and the subsequent Netflix docuseries coverage. The case illustrated that domestic violence crosses all socioeconomic and celebrity boundaries — a message that resonated in a community where such crimes are sometimes perceived as affecting only certain populations.

The Worst Ex Ever docuseries presents Knoxville as more than just a backdrop to the Paschel case. The episode contextualizes the city's character — its university-town atmosphere, its close-knit neighborhoods, and its active local media — as factors that shaped public response to the case. Knoxville residents followed the trial closely, and the conviction was widely covered by local outlets including WBIR and the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Knoxville today

Knoxville continues to grow as a regional center for education, healthcare, and technology. The city's downtown has undergone significant revitalization in recent years, with new restaurants, entertainment venues, and residential development. While the Paschel case remains a notable event in recent Knox County legal history, the city's identity is defined by its university, its proximity to the Smoky Mountains, and its evolving urban culture rather than by any single criminal proceeding.