Suspect in double homicide surrenders
The woman who survived a triple shooting that left two others dead told police a man became angry after she and another woman vomited inside a home on Pinewood Drive during a night of partying Monday.
The woman, who has not been publicly identified out of concern for her safety, told police she believes the man became so angry that he shot her, Jasmine Hines, 22, and Rashaud Taylor, 23.
Hines and Taylor did not survive. Another witness identified the man as Stephen Mobley, 32, court records show. The witness said Mobley was the only person left in the home when
the shooting happened, and that Mobley had been arguing with Hines moments before the shooting.
Both the survivor and the witness said Mobley had been carrying a firearm all night.
Authorities launched a statewide manhunt for Mobley on Tuesday, and he was added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s list of Top 10 Most Wanted fugitives.
The 32-year-old turned himself in to police early Wednesday morning, hours after he posted a video on his Facebook page proclaiming his innocence.
Mobley rode with a family member to the Police Services Center on Amnicola Highway and was taken into custody without incident around 7 a.m., Deputy Chief David Roddy said.
After he surrendered, he was interviewed and then booked into the Hamilton County Jail on a $3.75 million bond. Roddy declined to discuss anything about what Mobley told police when he was interviewed, citing the ongoing investigation.
“An individual who showed blatant disregard for the well-being of our city is in custody right now because of the actions and cooperation of local law enforcement and members of the community,” Roddy said. “It is our hope people affected by this violence will sleep a little easier tonight.”
Mobley is already a convicted killer. He pleaded guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in a 2005 fatal shooting, was sentenced to six years and released in 2010.
He also was charged with first-degree murder in the 2012 slaying of Gregory Watkins, but those charges were dismissed in 2015 after a jury could not agree on a verdict.
Mobley now faces two counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a felony in connection to Monday’s double homicide.
On Tuesday night, Mobley posted a four-and-a-half minute video to his Facebook page in which he said he was innocent of the double homicide and promised to turn himself in.
In the video, he is shirtless inside what looks like a home. He claimed the police and witnesses were using his history of past violence as an excuse to pin him for the double homicide.
“You want to believe that false [expletive] [expletive] story then you might as well believe the sun is going to fall from the sky so you might well find you a spacesuit or some[thing] to protect you from [expletive] flames you stupid [expletive],” he said.
He is scheduled to appear in Hamilton County General Sessions Court on Sept. 13.
Meanwhile, the families and friends of the victims are planning their funerals while remembering the two 20-somethings.
Hines was an aspiring rapper, and hoped to use music to make a better life, her friends said. Her father, Michael Hines, was shot to death in Chattanooga in March.
“I’ll always remember her telling me she was going to make it in rap and it made me realize she was serious about it,” her friend, Eady Beatit, said.
Taylor was a music producer, a laid back guy who was always cracking jokes, friends said.
Hines posted a video of herself rapping on Facebook on Aug. 27, just a few days before she was killed.
“Know damn well don’t trust [expletive], know damn well don’t trust [expletive],” she sang, half-lying on a couch. “I’ll pull up with ya if I [expletive] with ya, if you [expletive] with me I’m a [expletive] with ya … swear to God I got trust issues.”
Contact staff writer Shelly Bradbury at 423757-6525 or sbradbury@ timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas. Follow @ShellyBradbury.