Theft Suspect Bound Over To Grand Jury

Six cases on the Cannon County General Sessions Court docket of Judge Susan Melton for Tuesday, Aug. 2 were bound over to the September term of the Cannon County Grand Jury.

One of those cases was bound over following a preliminary hearing. Judge Melton ruled there was sufficient probable cause to bind over Bobby Wayne Pinegar, Jr. on charges of criminal trespass, aggravated burglary and theft over $10,000.

Pinegar is one of two persons charged in the break-in and burglary of the home of Margaret Odom on Basham Ridge Road on Jan. 6 of this year. The other person charged is Matthew Allen Baker of Smithville.

Pinegar lived with his girlfriend in Smithville before moving to Gulfport, Miss. in early March. That is where he was arrested on a warrant obtained by the Cannon County Sheriff's Department after being stopped for a traffic violation.

Baker had his case bound over to the September meeting of the grand jury on June 7.

Under questioning by Assistant District Attorney General Trevor Lynch, Odom testified she was working at her job at Highway 53 Market on Jan. 6 when she received a call from a neighbor informing her that two men had broken into her house.

Odom said items taken during the burglary included old family guns, jewelry, a television, computers and several other items of sentimental value.

"My room was destroyed, it was demolished," Odom said. "They took every memory I had."

Odom said she asked a co-worker, Scott Duke, to go to her home after she was notified of the break-in.

Duke testified when he went to the residence he encountered two men coming from Odom's trailer. He stated one of the men told him they were looking for a relative. He said the men left in a pewter color Toyota Camry.

Duke also said he positioned his car on the road to try to block the car the men were in from leaving after he called 911, but that they pushed his vehicle out of the way and left.

Duke identified Pinegar was one of the two men he saw at the scene when shown a photo lineup by Cannon County Sheriff's Department Investigator Anthony Young in early March. Duke also identified Pinegar in court Tuesday.

Investigator Young testified the tag number on the vehicle, which was recorded by Duke, came back as belonging to Crystal Baker, who is Matthew Baker's ex-wife. He also said he learned Pinegar owned a 1996 Camry which was recently found burned in DaKalb County.

Defense attorney Tommy Bray called Tracy Howell to the stand in presenting his case. Howell is Pinegar's girlfriend of nearly three years. She testified Pinegar was with her the entire day on Jan. 6 and the only time they went out was to go to a doctor's office in McMinnville to pick up a prescription and they then returned to Smithville to get the prescription filled.

Howell also said she had loaned her car, a Toyota Camry, to her husband, Joey Howell, earlier that day and that he kept it for an extended period of time. She also said she later learned Joey Howell was trying to sell items similar to the ones taken during the Odom burglary.

Tracy Howell's testimoney appeared to be contradicted by that of her mother, Brenda Wright, who said under questioning from Bray that she saw Pinegar and her daughter drive off in a Toyota Camry the day of the incident.

The September term of the grand jury will meet on Sept. 16. Other cases bound over Tuesday were:

• James W. Hill, charged with felony escape and theft under $500.

• Aubrey Glen Sanders, charged with felony escape, initiating the process to manufacture methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling to make, use, keep or sell methamphetamine.

• Robert Junior Sanders, charged with promotion of methamphetamine manufacture.

• Misty Lisa Winslow, charged with accessory after the fact.

• Johnny Nathaniel Mitchell, charged with simple possession of Schedule II drugs.