A Federal Grand Jury at Chattanooga has indicted three young Atlanta men in the death of an Atlanta restaurant operator at Collegedale.
The case, which is being switched from Hamilton County Criminal Court, is "death eligible."
If federal prosecutors decide to seek the death penalty, it apparently would be the first death penalty case tried in the Eastern Division of Federal Court for Tennessee.
The Federal Grand Jury indicted Rejon Taylor, Sir Jack Matthews and Joey Montrez Marshall for carjacking resulting in death, firearms murder during and in relation to carjacking, and kidnapping resulting in death.
They are charged in the death of Guy Luck.
District Attorney Bill Cox said state and federal prosecutors conferred and decided the case should go to Federal Court since the abduction was in one state and the murder in another.
He said federal authorities had a better investigative network, considering that it was a multi-jurisdictional matter.
According to an earlier hearing in state court, one of the defendants said the plan was to let the victim out to find his way back to Atlanta, but he was shot after he "jumped" them on Aug. 6, 2003.
County Detective Chris Chambers said Matthews said the 51-year-old Luck was abducted at Buckhead in his white Econoline van. The plan was to drive him north and let him out to find his own way back, it was stated.
He said Matthews stated they pulled off I-75 at Collegedale when Mr. Luck "jumped" them.
The detective said Matthews stated that he turned and fired, striking the victim in the right arm.
Matthews said Taylor also turned and fired several shots, including one that grazed him (Matthews).
Detective Chambers said Matthews said it was a robbery plot and he got $200 of the cash taken from the victim.
He said Matthews said that after the shooting, he and Taylor ran to a maroon Impala that Marshall had driven up from Atlanta following them. He said he was bleeding, and he lay in the floor in the back as they went back to Atlanta.
Matthews said they went to Marshall's house, then Marshall and his girlfriend dropped him off at Grady Hospital.
He said the guns were left in the van, and that, Detective Chambers said, is where they were found.
Matthews said they wore gloves during the robbery.
Detective Chambers said the Impala was found partially stripped in Atlanta. He said there was blood in the back.
He said a receipt was found where they had bought gas in Cartersville on the way north toward Chattanooga that morning.
Detective Chambers said a resident in the neighborhood where the restaurant operator was abducted had reported the Impala as a suspicious vehicle that morning.
The defendants have been held under high bonds at the Hamilton County Jail.