KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Around 9:20 a.m. Saturday, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to 211 W. Young High Pike, where James Phipps, 57, was found unresponsive in a back parking lot with numerous blunt force injuries.

Phipps was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, according to KPD.

A witness reported that they saw Fernando Carerra, 51, demanding the money from Phipps in the parking lot of a food pantry at 211 W. Young High Pike. According to KPD, Carerra had been attempting to get Phipps to compensate for property loss and had contacted Phipps on Saturday morning, demanding $1,000.

As Phipps was leaving, the two exchanged punches before Carerra mounted Phipps and punched him multiple times while he was lying face down.

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