Witness testifies at Soddy Daisy murder hearing
photo by Claire Henley Miller
Chad Massengale says he beat Tony Rector, dumped his body in a graveyard, and stomped on him repeatedly – but he did not mean to kill him.
During a preliminary hearing on Wednesday afternoon, the 30-year-old Massengale appeared before Judge Johnny Houston regarding the murder of Rector, who was found dead in a Soddy Daisy cemetery in December.
Dekota Burchard, 27, and Roy Henderson, 26, also appeared before the judge for their alleged involvement in the crime.
On Dec. 29, a dead body was found on the edge of Soddy Presbyterian Cemetery. The body lay in a pool of blood and was clothed in only underwear and socks.
Police identified the victim as 51-year-old Rector of Marion County.
The murder investigation that ensued led to the three defendants being charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault. They were booked at the Hamilton County Jail with bonds set at $2,025,000 each.
During the hearing, prosecutors Kevin Brown and Kristen Spires called three witnesses to the stand. Tiffany Sneed, Massengale’s ex-girlfriend, testified Rector had been living in the garage of the Shadwick residence on Dallas Hollow Road where she lived.
Ms. Sneed – who is incarcerated due to previous charges of theft – described in detail how Rector “had a problem keeping his hands to himself when it came to females.” She recounted how on the morning of Dec. 28, she woke up on the couch to Rector’s head in her lap.
Rector also allegedly tried to grab Rhonda Martin, another resident, as she came out of the shower. And he would touch Brenda “Maw” Shadwick inappropriately, Ms. Sneed said.
According to her testimony, on the day Rector died, the women confronted him and told him to leave. They were tired of his being a “pervert” and said he needed to find somewhere else to live. But Rector argued he was not going anywhere. So Ms. Sneed called Massengale over to try to get Rector to go.
Burchard, who also lived at the Shadwick residence, spoke with Massengale over the phone that day, too, it was testified. Ms. Sneed said at around 10 p.m. Massengale came over, accompanied by Henderson and “a little young guy named Nick.”
Twenty-three-year-old Nick Henderson, Roy Henderson’s little brother, served as the second witness during the hearing. In a quiet and shaky voice he told the court how Massengale, a family friend, came over to his house in East Ridge the night of the incident. Massengale then directed Nick to drive him and Henderson in Nick’s white four-door truck to the Shadwick residence.
Nick said he watched his brother, Massengale, and Burchard approach Rector outside before they all went in the house. Nick stayed in his truck for about 10 minutes. “The next thing I knew, Massengale and Tiffany are putting this body in my truck.”
He said Massengale instructed him to drive him, Henderson, Burchard, and Ms. Sneed to the graveyard. There, Nick watched in the rearview mirror as Massengale unloaded the body and stomped on it.
“Chad said he was nervous about me because I was scared and frightened and shaking.” Nick testified.
While Nick was scared, Ms. Sneed seemed to keep her composure. She said she witnessed the defendants fight Rector inside the living room.
“I seen Tony laying on the ground and his head was bleeding. And I seen a four-way tool to change a tire with where (Burchard) had been hitting him.”
Ms. Sneed said the defendants were cussing, demanding Rector leave, and keep his hands to himself. She confessed to helping load the body in the truck and taking it to the cemetery.
Judge Houston interrupted to see if Ms. Sneed could potentially be a defendant since she assisted in the incident.
According to Det. Ryan Wilkey’s testimony, not enough evidence existed to charge Ms. Sneed in connection with the crime. Det. Wilkey of the Soddy Daisy Police Department conducted the investigation after Rector’s body was found. He located Massengale through a confidential source and took him into custody. During the hearing, prosecutors played a portion of Det. Wilkey’s interview with Massengale.
“Listen, I did it all,” said Massengale in the interview. “Tony was a real piece of sh**. Very disrespectful to women.”
While being recorded, Massengale confessed to beating up Rector, taking him to the cemetery, and stomping on his head.
“I did it…I didn’t want to kill him. I didn’t want to kill him.”
He took the blame for everything that happened and said to leave Burchard and Henderson out of it. At the same time, he told Det. Wilkey that at one point Ms. Sneed hit Rector with the tire tool.
Rex Sparks, Massengale’s attorney, stated near the end of the hearing that Massengale did not intend to kill Rector, but to “teach him a lesson.”
“It’s a tragic situation,” Judge Houston said before stating there was sufficient evidence to send the cases of Massengale, Henderson, and Burchard to the Grand Jury.
Throughout the hearing Massengale kept his hands folded with his chin in his hands. Henderson and Burchard sat nearby with their attorneys Jay Clements and Brandy Spurgin.
The attorneys and prosecutors did not use this time to argue, but to gain information on the case. Regarding this, prosecutor Brown recounted at the start of the hearing how in the recorded interview Ms. Sneed had with Det. Wilkey, he asked her, “What are you scared of?”
On the stand, Ms. Sneed said she was scared because Massengale previously told her to keep quiet. Otherwise, he said he would kill her if it were the last thing he did.'
Judge Houston, who is the Red Bank judge, was appointed in place of Soddy Daisy Judge Marty Lasley. The hearing was held at the Courts Building downtown.