Hamilton County, Tenn., jurors must now decide whether a defendant who intended to beat a 51-year-old man also meant to kill him and leave him for dead in a Soddy-Daisy graveyard.
Intent was a major discussion among attorneys this morning in the trial of Chad Massengale, who is charged with first-degree murder in the Dec. 28, 2015, slaying of Tony Rector.
Prosecutors say Massengale, 31, went to 10965 Dallas Hollow Road because he wanted to send a message to anyone who was threatening his drug trade and “disrespecting” his women.
Chad MassengaleThat happened to be Rector, a 51-year-old caretaker who battled methamphetamine addiction and who frustrated his next-door neighbors in the months leading up to his death.
Prosecutors argued that on the day of the slaying, Rector made Dekota Burchard, a friend of Massengale’s, angry by comforting Burchard’s girlfriend during an argument. So he called Massengale.