Detective Sgt. Mark Warf had been with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department since 1984.

Video: Word On The Street (7/20/07)

He apparently was one of Sheriff Truman Jones' top and most trusted officers.

Suddenly, this past Monday, Warf quit and gave up on his long-time law enforcement career with the Sheriff.

Warf submitted a letter of resignation and cited "personal reasons."

But why is a simple resignation shrouded in so much mystery? Is there more than meets the eye?

Rutherford County Sheriff Truman Jones did not return phone calls from Channel 4 News and other members of his staff have been quite as well.

Sheriff's Major Chuck Thomas read Warf's somewhat lengthy resignation letter to WSMV and then said, "The official line is that he resigned."

Dan Goodwin, the Sheriff's media officer told one of Channel 4's reporters that, "He resigned, that's all I'm saying." He then hung up the phone.

"Official line?" I wonder what that means?

I certainly haven't heard of any "going away" party for the veteran sheriff's officer.

Wonder why?

Detective Warf had been a mainstay of Jones' team. He had investigated some of the county's most violent crimes.

I would think a news release would have been issued by Jones commending his detective on his lengthy service.

But so far, nothing has hit our e-mail here at Channel 4 News.

Is there some reason for the sheriff to shut down any information?

Is there more to come out later about Detective Warf and what the "personal reason" was for his resigning?.

Could it be more than the Sheriff wants to talk about?

Channel 4 Reporter Catharyn Campbell went to Warf's home in Rockvale, but no one came to the door. Phone calls were not answered either.

As is often said, though, not much stays secret for long.