Police: East Ridge man shot to death in robbery gone wrong

Tabitha Garrison
Tabitha Garrison

A handprint and cell phone communications led East Ridge Police to the three suspects accused of killing 21-year-old Reginald Ballard in a motel room on Feb. 19.

Police believe the suspects -- Kyhree Thompson, 20, Tabitha Garrison, 22, and Verronta Page, 19, -- shot Ballard twice after he resisted when they tried to rob him, court records show.

photo Tabitha Garrison

All three are charged with murder, possession of a firearm during a felony and tampering with evidence.

Police found communications between Ballard and Garrison on Ballard's cell phone, according to her affidavit.

The communications discussed gang affiliations and talked about Ballard picking Garrison up from her house and bringing her to a room at the Cascades Motel, where he was later found dead.

After motel employees found Ballard's body, police discovered a latent handprint at the scene that they positively identified as Thompson's.

Police also found out that the trio fled the scene of the crime together, according to court records.

Garrison and Thompson are from Dayton, Tenn., while Page is from Pikeville. All three were arrested last week in their various districts and will be transferred to the Hamilton County Jail.

Garrison was transferred and booked into the Hamilton County Jail on Saturday. She is being held on a $1 million bond.

She has previously been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia in Hamilton County.

Contact staff writer Shelly Bradbury at 423-757-6525 or sbradbury@timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas.

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