According to a Floyd County Police Department incident report, On June 1st, 2023, Officer Sangphim and Officer Corbin (training), responded to an address on Brandon Lane in reference to a burglary in progress where the homeowner had been shot. , According to the report, The victim/homeowner arrived to his house being ransacked by two black males. Floyd County Police Investigator later spoke with the victim at the hospital. Floyd County Investigator Holbrook reported, “According to him (victim), he had gone to Walmart and left his garage door open. When he returned, he stated there was what appeared to be a red or black Hyundai parked alongside the road near his neighbors driveway that had people in it. The victim stated he felt like it was probably someone who worked for Doordash and did not think anything of it. He said when he got further into the driveway and looked back he could see someone in the passenger side of the vehicle with their face entirely covered with what appeared to be something like a white shirt. The victim stated as he pulled into the garage he noticed the door that enters into his house was wide open and he saw what he described as two black males running through the residence. The victim told me that he got out of his vehicle in the garage and exited the vehicle with a loaded firearm. As he exited he stated he noticed the car that was alongside the roadway had started moving up quickly in front of his driveway and began to shoot at him.” The victim stated he was ambushed and had no chance to return fire. He stated they had emptied an entire clip on him shooting him multiple times. Officers located a crashed red Hyundai Elantra on Smith Road near Manning Lake Road. Officers ran the tag and 911 advised that it was being reported stolen. Officers cleared the vehicle and set up perimeter in the area. Officers checked out a Dodge Charger that was stopped on Manning Lake within eyesight of the crashed Hyundai Elantra. It was being driven by Nicholas Dimetrious Alexander Butts, 31, of Rome. He told Sgt. Tetsworth that he was just lost. K-9 Lt. Hovers along with his partner was requested to the scene to assist. Officers stopped multiple cars driving through the area to check and make sure they hadn’t been carjacked or picked anyone up. The third vehicle a Ford Escape which failed to maintain a single lane approached officers on the scene. Officer Sangphim reported, “[I] observed that the front passenger, and two rear passengers were all heavily sweating, as if they had been running. [I] asked the driver for his license, he stated he did not have it in his possession. [I] then began to smell the strong odor of marijuana. [I] ordered all occupants to exit the vehicle and we detained all occupants. [I] immediately recognized the front seat passenger as Trayron Marquez Bexley, 28, of Rome, and the driver as Nicholas Butts from the Charger.” Nicholas, Front Passenger Bexley, rear driver’s side passenger 16-year-old juvenile, and rear middle seat passenger Tahiri Durand Tolbert, 20, of Rome, were all detained. Officer located several cell phones and $484.00 in cash from Nicholas. Officer Corbin then located six large packages of suspected marijuana labeled “cannabis”. Sgt. Tetsworth then located a Glock 19 Gen4 9mm Semi Auto Handgun found to be reported stolen. Officer Overstreet located more packaged marijuana labeled as “cannabis in the rear seat floorboard. While at the Floyd County Police Department everyone detained refused to talk expect for one person who had very conflicting story compared to the facts. On June 6th, 2023, the victim advised investigators that several items were stolen from his including a gun. Tolbert and Bexley were charged with possession/distribution of marijuana, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, possession of a firearm during the commission of crime, theft by receiving stolen property, aggravated assault, first-degree burglary, aggravated battery, discharging a firearm near a roadway, 2nd degree criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Nicholas was charged with possession/distribution of marijuana, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, possession of a firearm during the commission of crime, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, failure to maintain lane and driving without license in possession and probation violation. The juvenilia was charged with charged with possession/distribution of marijuana, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, possession of a firearm during the commission of crime, and theft by receiving stolen property. According to arrest records, Tolbert and Bexley have a very lengthy criminal record.
Floyd County homeowner shot multiple times after interrupting burglary in progress
