Brian Conley ruled out as a suspect in stabbing outside West Tennessee mental health facility

Police on Wednesday announced they'd ruled out Brian Conley as a suspect in the stabbing outside a mental health facility in West Tennessee.

Conley, 31, is charged with criminal homicide in the Dec. 3 brutal death and sexual assault of Missy Hamilton at Crossroads Counseling where she worked in Madison.

According to Metro Nashville police, Conley entered the facility on Gallatin Pike at 7:30 p.m. and assaulted then fatally stabbed the 50-year-old Rutherford County woman multiple times.

Police in West Tennessee had been investigating whether Conley was linked to the stabbing of another woman outside a mental health facility in Millington earlier this year.

On Oct. 7, the Millington Police Department reported that a woman who worked at Professional Care Services, a mental health facility in the 5200 block of Navy Road, was also stabbed.

The victim is an employee of the clinic and was arriving for work when the attack occurred. 

"This was a brutal attack that the victim was fortunate to survive," Millington Police Chief Mark Dunbar said Wednesday. "The motive for the attack is unknown; however, our investigation at this point leads us to believe it may be a mental consumer."

Dunbar said the circumstances in the stabbing in Millington and the homicide in Madison were very similar, and the fact that Conley is from the Memphis/Shelby County area and has a violent criminal history played a role in their department potentially linking Conley to the case.

"Our investigation to the October 7th stabbing is still ongoing, and we are requesting assistance from the public," Dunbar said.

The victim in the Millington case was able to provide details for a composite sketch of her attacker, police said.

He is believed to be occupying a newer model white Nissan Altima or Maxima. He is described as a black man, 30 to 40 years of age, unshaven; about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a thin build. He was wearing a green hooded jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers 901-528-CASH (2274) or the Millington Police Department, 901-873-5600.

Conley remained jailed in Nashville without bond on Wednesday.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennssean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.