Samantha Hyatte
Samantha Hyatte, 37, from Dayton, Tn., has entered a plea of guilty to two counts of home invasion in the first-degree, two counts of aggravated assault, and attempted armed robbery in the Superior Court of Catoosa County.
After a sentencing hearing, Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Melissa Hise sentenced Ms. Hyatte to 30 years with the first 16 years to be served in the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Authorities said on Feb. 24, 2024, Ms. Hyatte entered the residence of a 66-year-old woman and a 60-year-old woman shortly before 11 a.m. while the women were preparing lunch. Ms. Hyatte opened the front door of the residence brandishing a large pair of hedge clippers while screaming and verbally threatening the two women, it was stated.
While inside the residence, Ms. Hyatte approached the women while opening and closing the hedge clippers in a threatening manner and demanded they give her their car keys. One woman removed her car keys from a hook on the wall and threw the keys behind Ms. Hyatte onto the front porch of the residence. When Ms. Hyatte turned to pick up the keys, the woman shoved Ms. Hyatte out the front door and quickly locked it behind her, while the second woman immediately called law enforcement.
Ms. Hyatte was found shortly thereafter wandering through the victims’ neighborhood without the hedge clippers, but carrying a claw hammer. Ms. Hyatte did not know the victims and had never been to their residence prior to the date of the crime.
The state of Georgia was represented by Chief Assistant District Attorney Deanna Reisman, with assistance to the investigated by Sheriff Gary Sisk’s Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Following the sentencing, District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller said, “We don’t tolerate that kind of unprovoked violence in our community. You cross that state line from Tennessee thinking you can bring violence into Georgia, you’re gonna find out real quick. I’m grateful to Judge Hise for laying down a hard sentence that tells folks loud and clear: you come here looking for trouble, you’ll find justice waiting.”