NASHVILLE, Tenn. — More than a month of intense investigation into the August 17th murders of Bartley Teal and Jaime Sarrantonio outside the Cobra Nashville bar on Gallatin Avenue has led to the indictments of Horace Palmer Williamson III, 27, and Demontrey M. Logsdon, 20, on a number of criminal counts, including first-degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, aggravated robbery and especially aggravated kidnapping. Additionally, Williamson is charged with two counts of aggravated sexual battery for fondling Sarrantonio and a second female robbery victim.
“For the past five weeks, lead Detective William Ashworth, his colleagues at the East Precinct, scientists at our crime laboratory, and Detective Chad Gish, one of our electronics experts, have been building the murder cases against Williamson and Logsdon,” Chief Steve Anderson said. “These murders were absolutely senseless, and I believe our community can feel a further sense of relief now that the two have been formally charged in the Cobra investigation.”
Teal, 33, and Sarrantonio, 30, were fatally wounded just before 3:30 a.m. on August 17th in the parking lot of Cobra. Two other robbery victims with Teal and Sarrantonio, a 34-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman, were not shot.
The investigation shows that the four victims left the bar on foot at approximately 3 a.m. and walked to a nearby convenience store to purchase snacks. Detectives believe Williamson and Logsdon targeted the four when they arrived back at the parking lot. After the gunfire, the murderers fled in a small Chevrolet car to North Nashville, where they dumped the victims’ belongings in an obscure alley in the 1400 block of 23rd Avenue North.
Williamson and Logsdon have been in the Metro Jail since August. Williamson was arrested on the evening of August 17th and charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault and unlawful gun possession for forcing his girlfriend to go with him at gunpoint after she had asked a couple to give her a ride to get away from Williamson. He is also charged with aggravated robbery for the August 12th robbery/carjacking of a man in Bellevue.
Logsdon was arrested on August 20th and charged with aggravated kidnapping for accompanying Williamson when he forced his girlfriend to go with him at gunpoint.
A third man connected to this case, Lacory Lytle, 24, was arrested on August 20th on charges of felony identity theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, and theft for using the stolen credit card of one of the surviving robbery victims at a local grocery store. He has now been formally indicted on those charges. Logsdon is also charged with fraudulent use of a credit card for using one of the victim’s cards at a local gas station.
Williamson, Logsdon and Lytle remain under investigation in connection with the August 14th murder of Kendall Rice, 31, who was fatally wounded while walking on Alta Loma Road to catch an MTA bus to go to work. That investigation is being led by detectives at the Madison Precinct.
