Cameron Williams
A Criminal Court jury on Friday afternoon found Chad Massengale guilty of first-degree murder in the case in which the body of 51-year-old Tony Rector was dumped at the Soddy Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Judge Don Poole sentenced him to serve life in prison.
Attorney Steve Moore told the panel that Massengale and others went to the Shadwick residence on Dallas Hollow Road "to beat his a--" but not to kill him. He said Massengale bore some criminal responsibility, but not for first-degree or second-degree murder.
Prosecutor Cameron Williams said Massengale in his statement to police said he wanted Rector out of his way because he was interfering with his women and his drug-selling business. He said Massengale said he had "four here and four across the river."
It was testified that Rector was groping women at the Shadwick place and interfering with Massengale setting up drug sales at a small house on the property.
The prosecutor said it was testified that Dekota Burchard summoned Massengale. He brought along Robert "Bubba" Henderson. Burchard and Henderson are also charged with first-degree murder.
Tiffany Sneed, a girlfriend of Massengale who also lived at the Chadwick place, told of Rector coming out of the garage where he lived and having words with Massengale. Massengale said he knocked him out with his fist.
Ms. Sneed said the victim was also beaten with a tire iron and cut with a knife. The prosecutor said an attempt was made to cut his genitals off.
The body of the victim was loaded in a truck and taken to the cemetery. He was alive at the time, and Massengale acknowledged that he stomped him in the head as he lay nearly naked on the cold ground.
Prosecutor Williams said that is what bumps the case up to first-degree murder.
Steve Moore