It's been nearly six years since authorities found 21-year-old Chance LeCroy dead in his bedroom in Hixson. But one of his accused killers appears to finally be going to trial in Hamilton County Criminal Court later this month.
Patrick Carmody shuffled into court Tuesday morning, hands shackled and carrying a manila envelope as he made his way to sit beside his attorney, Lee Ortwein, to iron out the final details of his murder trial. The 47-year-old has been incarcerated on a $2 million bond, records show, for his role in what prosecutors say was a robbery-turned-fatal shooting in September 2010. Starting May 24, jurors will decide what to do with his felony murder and especially aggravated robbery charges.
After listening to the discussion, Judge Barry Steelman appeared relieved. "All right," he said. "Let's start this trial then."
Prosecutors say Hamilton County sheriff's deputies were called Sept. 9, 2010, to 1211 Johnston Terrace, where they found LeCroy and Tucker King, his roommate. King said a white man in a hoodie held him at gunpoint while another man shot LeCroy in his bedroom. Afterward, the suspects took off in an old gray pickup truck.
Investigators labored for nearly two years, interviewing several witnesses and suspects. They finally pinpointed Carmody, Billy Bob Partin and Ronald Pittman, who were ushered into Hamilton County General Sessions Court and sent to a grand jury in August 2012.
That fall, jurors indicted Carmody and Partin together and Pittman on a separate true bill. Pittman, 46, testified that he held a gun to King's head, that Partin and Carmody knew LeCroy had drugs and flat-screen televisions at his house, and that all three men drove to his house to steal anything valuable. Since posting a $100,000 bond, Pittman has been on house arrest for facilitation of felony murder and facilitation of especially aggravated robbery charges. He will be tried separately and testify again during Carmody's trial, his attorney, Ben McGowan, said Tuesday.
So far, there's no plea agreement for cooperating, McGowan said. Partin, 43, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in June 2014 and will spend 20 years in prison without parole, records show.
Partin faced a possible life sentence, like Carmody, who has been in custody in Hamilton County Jail, Ortwein said. Amid 51 court appearances, his trial has been postponed at least three times while the defense has struggled to find potentially exonerating witnesses.
Ortwein mentioned Tuesday a motion that contained some of Pittman's "hearsay comments" to police and prosecutors in 2012. Those comments concerned "what the defendant did in the back bedroom with the victim," according to prosecutors.
"I believe we've got an agreement," Ortwein said. "Those statements will not come in unless some other event in trial would make them subject to admission."
Partin called a week after the shooting to explain what happened in the bedroom, Pittman told police and prosecutors in 2012. Those conversations are attached to Ortwein's motion.
After Partin picked up a safe from his bedroom, LeCroy rolled over in his bed, records show. Then Carmody "went nuts," according to a transcript of his testimony, and whacked LeCroy on the head with the butt of his .45-caliber gun. The impact was so hard, the clip fell out of the gun.
"He just immediately starts beating this kid in the head with it," Pittman said, "and then the gentleman wakes up, starts fighting back with Patrick and is getting the best of Patrick is what Billy Bob said, and Patrick shot him."
Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347 with story ideas or tips. On Twitter, follow @zackpeterson918.