Marissa Sulek

Reporter
Marissa Sulek

Marissa Sulek is a reporter who joined the WSMV4 team in November 2020.

Since she started, she’s covered the biggest breaking news stories in Middle Tennessee. She was on the ground a whole week after 20 people were killed in Waverly’s deadly flash floods. She walked with protesters and the Tennessee Three lawmakers fighting to get their seat back in the State House. She also brought the latest live coverage of The Covenant School shooting that took six innocent lives.

Marissa uncovered new developments when she spoke with a Tennessee State Representative’s secretary who worked for him when he was arrested by FBI agents. He was later charged with wire fraud, bribery, and kickbacks.

Before WSMV4, she was an MMJ, reporter, and fill-in anchor in the Quad Cities at WQAD in Moline, Illinois. There she covered “The Flood of 2019” and was on the ground after a barrier along the Mississippi River broke in downtown Davenport, Iowa. She talked with business owners and community members who lost everything to the waters.

Marissa graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she received a B.S. in Advertising. She became the football reporter, and interviewed Head Coach Lovie Smith each week. She also helped anchor the University’s new morning show, “Good Morning Illini.”

When not working on a story, Marissa is an avid runner and completed her third marathon in 2022. To compensate she also loves to cook, bake, and try Nashville restaurants.

She’s the biggest fan of country music born and raised in the Chicago suburbs.

If you have a story idea, send it to marissa.sulek@wsmv.com.

News

Two teens arrested after stealing SUV at gunpoint in Madison

‘Ready to go’: Car thefts among reasons why Madison woman wants to move away

Updated: May. 24, 2024 at 4:42 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekA recent carjacking has served as another incident to move out of her Madison home, the woman said.

News

TN families express frustration and stress with TCAP test once again

TN families express frustration, stress with TCAP test once again

Updated: May. 23, 2024 at 8:40 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekHundreds of Facebook posts about TCAP frustrations have been posted by Tennessee parents.

News

Christiana neighbors build their own drain cover after 10-year-old dies

Tennessee neighbors create their own storm drain cover after Asher Sullivan’s death

Updated: May. 21, 2024 at 5:49 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“This is a community that is grieving, and this is not a time to go in there and start enforcing the code."

News

MNPD search for man accused of carjacking a car with 3-year-old inside at Whole Foods

Police search for man accused of carjacking car with 3-year-old inside at Whole Foods

Updated: May. 20, 2024 at 7:08 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe store security guard said while he hopes the man is caught, he wants this to be a lesson for other parents: do not leave a child in a car alone.

News

Rutherford County baseball and softball teams sport helmet stickers in honor of Asher Sullivan

Rutherford County baseball, softball teams sport helmet stickers in honor of Asher Sullivan

Updated: May. 19, 2024 at 10:31 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekAsher Sullivan’s family will donate his organs to others in need.

News

Dozens pray for Asher Sullivan after family says he is not expected to recover from storm...

Dozens pray for Asher Sullivan at Murfreesboro vigil

Updated: May. 18, 2024 at 10:58 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekDr. Jimmy Sullivan, Asher’s dad, announced Saturday night that Asher had died earlier in the afternoon.

News

Clarksville mom claims insurance company neglected her

Clarksville mom claims insurance company neglected her after December tornados

Updated: May. 15, 2024 at 6:42 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance found the insurance she used was provided for “timelier outreach” and they were waiting for a general contractor to give them a second opinion.

News

Classroom desks generic

Murfreesboro teacher banned from children, all state daycares

Updated: May. 14, 2024 at 8:43 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe teacher is accused of sexually abusing another child, which the child’s family told WSMV4 was caught on video.

News

Teacher fired from Murfreesboro daycare part of previous criminal investigation

Family says 3-year-old was sexually assaulted by teacher at Murfreesboro daycare

Updated: May. 13, 2024 at 7:53 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“It’s possible this could have gone on for months."

News

Maury Co. community donates baby items to parents of twins who lost home in tornado

Maury Co. community donates baby items to parents of twins who lost home in tornado

Updated: May. 10, 2024 at 7:24 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe grandmother of the twins was Cheryl Lovett, the only person to die in the tornado in Maury County.

News

Asher Sullivan attends a baseball event at Vanderbilt University.

Hundreds pray for 10-year-old boy swept under drain for 15 minutes neighbors say

Updated: May. 9, 2024 at 9:15 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekAsher Sullivan, the son of Rutherford County Director of Schools Dr. Jimmy Sullivan, was sucked into the drain in the aftermath of Wednesday’s storm.

News

Clarksville providers open own clinic after they went weeks without pay

Clarksville providers open own clinic after they went weeks without pay

Updated: May. 7, 2024 at 7:41 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe workers started Health Star Medical Group in order to help their patients.

News

Teacher fired from Murfreesboro daycare part of previous criminal investigation

Teacher fired from Murfreesboro daycare for alleged mistreatment

Updated: May. 3, 2024 at 7:31 AM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe daycare fired the teacher the day after learning of the incident.

News

(Photo by Erin Zeller/file)

Authorities investigating Murfreesboro daycare

Updated: May. 2, 2024 at 11:47 AM CDT|By Daniel Smithson and Marissa SulekDetails about the incident have not yet been released.

News

Defense says more happened at Tin Roof before Austin Turner’s death that’s not on video

Defense says more happened at Tin Roof before Austin Turner’s death that’s not on video

Updated: May. 1, 2024 at 6:42 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“We now know what was going on inside the bar that we don’t see on camera.”

News

Green Hills neighbors report “snow” in their backyard from nearby construction project

Green Hills neighbors report ‘snow’ in their backyard from nearby construction project

Updated: Apr. 30, 2024 at 6:42 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekRoberts said it takes a toll on the homes nearby. He said they’ve had dust caked on furniture while others have had their A/C systems and gutters clogged.

News

Family saw marathon runner smiling and happy miles before death

Family saw marathon runner smiling and happy miles before death

Updated: Apr. 29, 2024 at 7:33 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekHis brother said Joey wanted to open his own restaurant right before the marathon.

News

Tennessee State Capitol

Lawmakers pass bill that gives businesses a $1.5-billion tax break last day of session

Updated: Apr. 25, 2024 at 5:27 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekBoth the House and Senate have ended their session for the year.

News

This Jan. 8, 2020, photo shows the cupola on the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tenn....

Covenant mom demands Governor Lee vetoes bill that arms teachers

Updated: Apr. 24, 2024 at 6:46 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekGov. Lee has 10 days to sign this bill into law.

News

Covenant School mom delivers 5,000 signature letter opposing arming teacher’s bill

Covenant School mom delivers 5,000 signature letter opposing arming teacher’s bill

Updated: Apr. 22, 2024 at 6:56 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“I think it could have good potential for actual security people to do this if we put those restrictions for actual security people, not teachers.”

News

Mom takes son out of preschool after instinct, months later there’s a lockdown

Mom instinctively takes son out of preschool months before teacher allegedly threatened to ‘shoot up’ school

Updated: Apr. 19, 2024 at 5:49 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“He told me his teacher was nice, but his teachers’ friends were not nice.”

News

Cleveland Republican Kevin Raper said he intends to vote against a bill that would arm...

TN House Republican comes out against bill to let teachers carry guns

Updated: Apr. 18, 2024 at 6:24 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekRep. Kevin Raper, a former educator, said he sees “no positive aspects of this bill.”

News

12,000 TN fourth graders risk being held back unless lawmakers pass bill

12,000 TN fourth graders risk being held back unless lawmakers pass bill

Updated: Apr. 17, 2024 at 6:08 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekLawmakers are now trying to push a new bill at the Capitol that would allow a school to decide if a student goes to the 5th grade or not.

News

Tennessee Capitol

Tennessee lawmakers agree not to move forward with voucher bill if consensus is not reached

Updated: Apr. 16, 2024 at 5:56 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“We all agreed not to move the bill forward if a consensus cannot be reached.”

News

Covenant School moms try to stall House bill to arm teachers

Covenant School moms try to stall House bill to arm teachers

Updated: Apr. 15, 2024 at 4:36 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“My son is sitting right here because he was protected by his teacher that day."

News

The state legislature passed a law in 2016 that would allow teachers in two counties to carry...

There’s already a Tennessee law that allows teachers to carry concealed guns

Updated: Apr. 12, 2024 at 7:59 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekLawmakers passed a bill in 2016 that would allow teachers in Wayne and Pickett counties to carry, but it was never implemented.

News

Tennessee State Capitol

Bill to arm teachers is held on House desk, so when could it get taken off?

Updated: Apr. 11, 2024 at 7:36 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekA representative could make a motion to place the legislation on the calendar to consider at any time.

News

Parents would not know if child’s teacher carries a gun under bill passed by Senate

Parents would not know if their child’s teacher carries a gun under bill passed by Senate

Updated: Apr. 10, 2024 at 6:40 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekLawmakers said three people would know who has a gun in a school.

News

A bill that would allow teachers to be armed with concealed guns passed on the Senate floor...

Covenant moms emotional after bill to let teachers carry concealed guns passes Senate

Updated: Apr. 9, 2024 at 6:23 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekWhat started with decorum, quickly turned into rebellion from the people above seated in the gallery.

News

Bill to arm teachers in Tennessee up for discussion

Bill to arm teachers in Tennessee passes in Senate

Updated: Apr. 9, 2024 at 2:46 PM CDT|By Caleb Wethington and Marissa SulekIf passed, this bill would arm school staff members upon completing training, background checks and a psychological evaluation.

News

Lizzette Reynolds

Tennessee Republican lawmaker calls for education commissioner to resign

Updated: Apr. 8, 2024 at 7:01 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekDemocratic lawmakers called for Reynolds’ resignation back in January.

News

New medical-detox center to open off Music Row

New medical detox center to open off Music Row

Updated: Apr. 8, 2024 at 6:57 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekLive Again will have an open house on April 10 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

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Explosion reported in Ashland City

Tennessee blasting company stripped of license after accident

Updated: Apr. 5, 2024 at 7:25 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekHammons Drilling & Blasting can’t register as a blasting firm for five years and the company’s owner cannot own any state blasting company for two years.

News

Assault rifle

New bill would allow open carry of assault rifles in Tennessee

Updated: Apr. 5, 2024 at 5:45 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekDemocrats kept their comment short on the bill.“Nuts,” said Representative John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville). “That’s it.”

News

Bill would prevent certain teens from signing up for social media accounts

Bill would prevent certain teens from signing up for social media accounts

Updated: Apr. 4, 2024 at 5:45 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekIf the bill is signed by Gov. Lee it would go into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

News

FILE - The Tennessee Capitol is seen, Jan. 8, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark...

Lawmakers inch closer to passing a bill that could arm teachers with concealed guns

Updated: Apr. 3, 2024 at 6:16 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe bill is on target to clear the Senate but is held on the desk in the House.

News

Dads take to legislature to change gun laws

Dads take to legislature to change gun laws

Updated: Apr. 2, 2024 at 3:44 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe dads said the gun laws they want are not radical — they are responsible.

News

TSU students and supporters push for lawsuit to get $2.1 billion back in funding

TSU students and supporters push for lawsuit to get $2.1 billion back in funding

Updated: Apr. 1, 2024 at 6:52 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe group took to the Capitol on Monday to push for a lawsuit against the State of Tennessee to get TSU’s money back.

News

Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers is at the center of an Amber Alert out of Sumner County.

Volunteers call off search for Sebastian Rogers citing death threats

Updated: Mar. 29, 2024 at 6:35 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekUnited Cajun Navy was organizing volunteers to help before abruptly canceling Friday’s efforts.

News

Report details management shortcomings at TSU

Gov. Lee signs law to vacate TSU Board of Trustees, lawmakers blindsided in the House

Updated: Mar. 28, 2024 at 7:45 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekHouse Republicans decide to substitute Senate’s bill that calls for all members to be removed rather than an amendment that limited the number.

News

It’s now up to a Nashville judge to overturn a father’s 25 year old conviction or not

It’s now up to a Nashville judge to overturn a father’s 25-year-old conviction or not

Updated: Mar. 27, 2024 at 6:25 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekRussell Maze was found guilty of killing his infant son, Alex Maze, who died in 2000.

News

Metro Council to propose resolution to make area safer where Riley Strain was last seen

Metro Council to propose resolution that would make area where Riley Strain was last seen safer

Updated: Mar. 26, 2024 at 6:05 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekA council member plans to propose a new resolution to clean up litter, house the homeless, install better streetlights, and add more cameras.

News

Parents anxiously wait outside MLK High School to see their children after an active shooter...

Bill would stiffen penalty if someone threatens violence on a school

Updated: Mar. 25, 2024 at 6:06 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekHouse passes bill on Monday that would change a school threat from a misdemeanor to a felony offense.

News

Volunteers helped distribute many of the flyers about Riley Strain's disappearance.

Influencers across the country flock to Nashville to cover Riley Strain’s death

Updated: Mar. 22, 2024 at 8:16 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“Guys need to start being a little bit more intuitive and more focused on each other rather than their own personal goals for the night.”

News

Witnesses recount alleged assault between security guard and Tin Roof customer

Witnesses recount alleged assault between security guard, Tin Roof patron who later died

Updated: Mar. 21, 2024 at 5:36 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“I grab some napkins off the hot dog cart because at that point he is bleeding out of his head."

News

Austin Turner (left) and Dallas Barrett (right).

Families who lost loved ones to security guard altercations work to change law

Updated: Mar. 20, 2024 at 7:26 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe boys’ mothers met for the first time this week, and by coming together, they hope to make Tennessee safer.

News

Marijuana plant (generic)

Questions about medical marijuana could be on the 2024 ballot in Tennessee

Updated: Mar. 19, 2024 at 5:54 PM CDT|By Marissa Sulek“I think we need to take it out of our hands and put it in the voters’ hands.”

News

Tennessee State Capitol

House voucher bill passes committee after tense moments

Updated: Mar. 18, 2024 at 6:49 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekIt’s one of the bigger, if not the biggest, pieces of legislation lawmakers are trying to pass this session.

News

Jade Benning poses with a photo of her unborn baby. They both died after they were allegedly...

“It was relieving”: Friends react to arrest of former Titans scout after pregnant woman poisoned to death

Updated: Mar. 15, 2024 at 5:29 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekBlaise Taylor has been charged in the death of his girlfriend and unborn child.

News

Thirteen Memphis officers could end up being disciplined in connection with the violent arrest...

Bill to reverse Memphis’ traffic stop reform after Tyre Nichols’ death heads to Governor’s desk

Updated: Mar. 14, 2024 at 6:24 PM CDT|By Marissa SulekThe parents of Tyre Nichols claim the sponsor of the bill lied to them and said it, last week when the bill was passed, it wasn’t supposed to be brought up.

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