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[Shelbyville Times-Gazette]
Shelbyville, Tennessee ~ Tuesday, December 2, 2008
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Murder suspect bound over to grand jury

Friday, September 19, 2008

A man accused of the murder of a homeless woman was bound over to the Bedford County grand jury Thursday following a preliminary hearing.

Donald Ray Sachs is charged with criminal homicide in the death of 52-year-old Joyce Mattis of Murfreesboro, whose decomposed remains were found June 4 in a wooded area off Cannon Road near Wartrace.

Last month, it was determined that Sachs is mentally competent to stand trial, according to court documents. A letter from Centerstone in Tullahoma stated that he had no mental disorders that would prevent his understanding of the charges he faces.

According to Sheriff Randall Boyce, Sachs is the same man who reported finding Mattis' body, with her death allegedly occurring in the same area where the body was found.

Mattis was reported missing from Murfreesboro on May 30 by her husband, Neil Mattis, 43.

Sachs is also facing rape and aggravated kidnapping charges in a separate case involving another woman from Murfreesboro in June. Those charges were filed on June 5, the day after Sachs claimed he found Mattis' body, Boyce said.

Sachs is currently being held on $1.15 million bond. Upon his arrest in connection with the murder, he waived his right to a bond hearing. He was already being held on $150,000 bond, Boyce said.

The next scheduled session of the Grand Jury will be Oct. 20.


Comments
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My sister was murdered in shelbyville tn by the same kinda trash he should rot. unfortantly the one that killed my sister didn't there out of prison!!!!

-- Posted by tabe1973 on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, at 3:28 AM

The death penalty in this matter would be far too quick and painless for this piece of sub-human garbage. He should be made to suffer in the same undignified and no doubt painful manner that he bestowed upon his victims.

-- Posted by Tattoos & Scars on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, at 1:58 AM

He should have to stand trial.

And if he did it, he needs to be punished.

I feel sorry for his family, but if he is going to that then he needs to be punished, with no mercy.

-- Posted by skitzo29 on Sat, Sep 20, 2008, at 12:30 PM


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