Four accused of plotting robbery

Matthew James Jeannette, 18, of Murfreesboro was arrested Monday evening for his alleged role in an armed robbery in rural Bedford County last week. Taking Jeannette to Bedford County Jail are Det. Sgt. Scott Jones, left, and Det. Sgt. David Sakich of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department.
(T-G Photo by David Melson)

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Arrested were:

* Matthew James Jeannette, Murfreesboro, charged with aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment. He is being held under $60,000 bond.

* Coby Allen Davis, Bell Buckle, charged with filing a false report and criminal conspiracy.

* Crystal Anne Morris, Murfreesboro, charged with criminal conspiracy, free on $15,000 bond.

The Murfreesboro juvenile faces the same charges as Jeannette. The three adults are due in General Sessions Court on Feb. 24.

According to Det. Sgt. Scott Jones of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, an initial report of two men being robbed at gunpoint on Gregory Mill Road came in last Thursday evening.

A report by Deputy Daniel Jacobs stated that Nathan Miller and Davis left the Miller home on Gregory Mill Road and pulled off the road about a quarter mile from the residence, going there "to talk."

Jones said that Davis had called Miller earlier the day to tell him that he had money that he owned and was going to pay it back.

According to Jones, two males were there with their backs to the vehicle and "the next thing he knows they're running up on the vehicle, one guy has got a sawed-off shotgun ... and the other one has a pistol."

The two men pointed the firearms in both Miller and Davis' faces, telling them to give them all their money. They did so and one of the alleged thieves fired off a round in the air, telling the two victims "to get out of here."

Jacobs' report said that Miller's father also heard the gunshot and that the two thieves had no vehicle nearby. Miller and Davis returned to the Miller home to contact deputies.

Davis told Jacobs that he had $1,200 in cash stolen from him and Miller lost $250 to the armed pair, but after Det. Jones received Jacobs' report, began looking into the incident and spoke to Miller about the robbery, "it just wasn't adding up," Jones said.

"You just don't show up in the middle of nowhere and there's two guys with guns waiting to rob you," Jones said. "It doesn't work that way."

Jones said he suspected that Coby Davis set Miller up for the robbery and after speaking to Davis about the incident, Jones said that Davis admitted orchestrating the entire incident.

Davis apparently had no money stolen from him at all, Jones explained. Jones and other detectives then spent the remainder of their investigation in Murfreesboro hunting for the three others who were allegedly involved in the plot to rob Miller.

Jeannette and the juvenile are accused of being the gunmen while Morris faces charges because she allegedly picked up the two armed robbers after the incident took place.