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This is near my house! The man was killed a little after midnight, I was sleeping at that time. But it's still scarey knowing this was so close to my house.



Murder trial witness killed near Smyrna



A key witness in an upcoming murder trial was killed Tuesday inside his home off Almaville Road near Smyrna, a sheriff's spokesman said.

Randy Betts, 49, of 131 Neal Ave. was found dead about 1:12 p.m. in his home, said Detective Maj. Chuck Thomas. A family member reported the body.

"He was found shot," Thomas said.

Thomas said Betts' body was inside the living room of his home. He could have been dead for 12 hours or more.

No suspects have been identified yet.

Thomas would not confirm if the murder was believed related to Betts' testimony against Darren J. Yeager, 25, of Clarksville and Brenda Louise Hickman, 26, of Smyrna during a preliminary hearing in June.

Yeager is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Tony "Butch" Akins, 52, April 2 outside his Jefferson Pike home. Yeager's girlfriend, Brenda Louise Hickman, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder in April.

They are both in custody at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center awaiting pretrial motions April 6.

Thomas said detectives and Lt. Philip Martin, crime scene technician, searched the home for evidence. Detectives interviewed family members and neighbors.

Metro Nashville's Bomb Squad and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents responded because of a report of a large amount of ammunition in the home.

"There was concern about some devices, but nothing was found," Thomas said.

Detectives Ty Downing and Ralph Mayercik are investigating the murder. No other details were released.

Betts testified in a preliminary hearing for Akins murder case that he allowed Yeager, Hickman and her three children to stay at his home for two weeks. They borrowed his car and returned the night of April 2.

Yeager told him he cut a man because he slammed his vehicle into Betts' car while Hickman's children were inside, Betts testified.

Betts notified police about the stabbing the next day. La Vergne Police arrested Yeager and Hickman at Betts' home.

A black Harley-Davidson switchblade knife Betts kept at his home was missing, Betts said. Yeager told him he threw the knife away.

Betts testified Yeager seemed remorseful.

In a search of Betts' home after the murder of Akins, La Vergne Detective Lt. Stace Thompson said police recovered Yeager's tennis shoes with blood droplets on them.



Originally published December 21, 2005

I went to mapquest.com and put the man's address and my address in and found it to be .37 miles from me! Less than a minutes drive! It's almost shaped like this symbol [

The phrase is "They can have my gun when they pull it from my cold dead hands."

I'm VERY pro-gun. I've just recently sent off for my C & R license and will buy more to add to my collection. My family, including the kids, go target shooting at a range to make sure we're still on target. The kids know the do's and dont's of gun safety now and are starting to shoot with a .22 rifle.

People have asked the hubby if he's afraid to leave the kids and me at home by ourselves, his quick response is always no. When they ask him why he let's them know I can shoot and hit my targets without a problem. Some of the guys he works with have even gone to the range with us and can vouch for my aiming and hitting. It's a wonderful feeling, even embarrassing, knowing these guys brag about me.

I know about two years after we moved here, some "interesting" trucks would park at the end of our road which ends in front of my house, and with me not knowing who they were I couldn't let the kids go out and play. One day I got the nerve up and knocked on the driver window, turned out it was the DEA and FBI watching a house three down from us. Knowing who they were now I let the boys out, but I had to be with them any time they did. I never let my defenses down.