Man, 21, Is Shot At 'Drug House,'

Sheriff Says At Press Conference

By BILL JONES

Staff Writer

JONESBOROUGH -- The Washington County Sheriff's Department charged six people Friday in connection with the murder Thursday afternoon of a former Nashville man at a South Central Community residence just outside Greene County.

During a 1 p.m. news conference, Washington County Sheriff Ed Graybeal announced that his investigators, working in cooperation with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, had charged Brenda L. Bolton, 39, of 3628 Tennessee Rt. 107 (the Erwin Highway), Chuckey, with first-degree murder.

The charges, Graybeal said, came after a "lengthy overnight investigation."

Bolton was being held at the Washington County Detention Center on Friday in lieu of a $100,000 bond. She is scheduled for arraignment in Washington County General Sessions Court on Monday, July 7.

Speaking at the Detention Center, the sheriff said Bolton had confessed to having fatally shot Keylando M. Webster, 21, who was living at the 3628 Highway 107 residence that was rented by Bolton at the time of his death.

Five other residents of the South Central, Limestone and Telford communities were charged with being accessories to Webster's murder and assorted other offenses, the sheriff said.

Had the murder taken place only a few feet further west, it would have been within Greene County.

Was Shot Once

Webster, whose nearest relative is a grandmother who lives in Nashville, had been shot once in the head, Sheriff Graybeal said.

It was unclear how long Webster had been living in Washington County, the sheriff said. He noted that investigators hope to learn more about Webster and how he came to reside in Washington County early next week.

Sheriff Graybeal stated that Dr. Vince Pinyard, the medical examiner of both Greene and Washington counties, had come to the scene on Thursday to examine the body.

An autopsy on Webster's body will be performed at the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University, according to the sheriff.

Motive: 'Drugs And Money'

The sheriff said investigators believe the motive for the fatal shooting involved "drugs and money."

He also described the residence where the shooting took place as "a drug house."

Asked if drugs were found inside the house, Graybeal said a small amount of cocaine and marijuana was found by investigators.

During the press conference, Sheriff Graybeal said the murder weapon, which investigators believe to be a .380-cal. pistol, has not been recovered.

He said officers base the theory that the weapon was a .380-cal. on the fact that a .380 bullet was recovered inside the residence.

Others Charged

Four other people who allegedly were at the residence when the fatal shooting occurred shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday also were charged on Friday with being accessories-after-the-fact to first-degree murder, the sheriff announced.

The others charged in connection with the murder were identified on Friday by Sheriff Graybeal as:

* Gabriel Lee Hoyle, 25, of 118 Bill West Road, Telford, who was charged with violation of probation and being an accessory-after-the-fact to first-degree murder.

Hoyle was being held at the Washington County Detention Center under a $100,000 bond pending arraignment in Washington County General Sessions Court on Monday, July 7.

* Jason Lynn Holt, 28, of 153 Paul Mathes Road, Chuckey, who was charged with evading arrest, public intoxication and being an accessory-after-the-fact to first-degree murder.

Holt is being held at the Washington County Detention Center under a $100,000 bond pending arraignment in Washington County General Sessions Court on July 7.

* Ronnie James Rogers, 37, of 311 Cassi Road, Chuckey, who was charged with being an accessory-after-the-fact to first-degree murder.

Rogers is being held at the Washington County Detention Center under $100,000 bond pending arraignment in Washington County General Sessions Court on July 7.

* Travis L. Graham, 29, of 426 Cassi Road, Chuckey, who was charged with violation of probation and being an accessory-after-the-fact to first-degree murder.

Graham is being held at the Washington County Detention Center under a $100,000 bond pending arraignment on July 7 in Washington County General Sessions Court.

* Keith Allen Mathes, 51, of 222 Maple Swamp Road, Chuckey, who was charged with being an accessory-after-the-fact to first-degree murder.

Mathes is being held at the Washington County Detention Center under a $100,000 bond pending arraignment on July 7 in Washington County General Sessions Court.

Worked Through The Night

Sheriff Graybeal said the six suspects were charged after being taken into custody at various locations around the South Central, Limestone and Telford communities late Thursday or early Friday.

Patrick Littleton, the Washington County Sheriff's Department's Chief Deputy, said a white Ford Ranger pickup truck in which some of the suspects were seen fleeing the shooting scene about 3 p.m. Thursday had been recovered overnight at a location in Limestone.

On Thursday afternoon, Greene County sheriff's deputies had been dispatched to Highway 107 to help search for the white Ford Ranger.

During Friday afternoon's news conference, Washington County Sheriff Graybeal said statements given by some of the suspects after their arrests indicated that they had been in Greene County at some point after they fled the shooting scene.

He also said charges may be filed in the case against other individuals as the investigation continues.

Sheriff Graybeal praised the work of his Criminal Investigation Division investigators and TBI Agent Scott Lott in connection with the case.

"We've got an exceptional CID bunch," the sheriff said. "They're just super."

He noted that the investigators had worked through the night on Thursday and until about 9 a.m. Friday before going home.