Arrest net widens in kidnapping


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Arrest net widens in kidnapping

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

Ashley Hardeman

One of two other suspects wanted in connection with the April 11 assault and kidnapping of Charles Hardeman was arrested in Tennessee Monday, according to sheriff Kenny Dickerson. The second suspect is still on the run.

Arrest warrants for Alexander Carter, 24, and Xavier Cornelius Parks, 31, of the 700 block of West College Street, Saulsbury, Tenn., were issued by Marshall County Justice Court this week, the sheriff said. Carter was picked up and taken into custody by Hardeman County, Tenn., authorities Monday around 7 p.m. He could be extradited back to Marshall County as early as Tuesday evening this week, the sheriff said. Carter and Parks are half brothers. Parks remained at large at presstime.

The two are charged with aggravated assault and kidnapping of Charles Hardeman of Marshall County on April 11, as are three other suspects who have already been arrested.

Ashley Hardeman, 19, of 321 Hurdle Club Road, Holly Springs, the sister of Charles Hardeman, was recently arrested and charged with aggravated assault and kidnapping of the victim, Dickerson said. She was taken into custody last Friday by Marshall County deputies. Bond was set Monday for Ashley Hardeman at $1 million by justice court judge Ernest Cunningham. He appointed a public defender in her case and scheduled a preliminary hearing for June 4 at 9 a.m.

One suspect, Kevin Schrock, 29, of 315 Fourth Street, LaGrange, Tenn., was released on a reduced bond of $100,000 last week, Dickerson said. He was originally being held at the Marshall County jail on $1 million bond.

Gregory Leon Jenkins, 30, of Hardeman County, Tenn., remains in jail on charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping in the incident and is being held on $1 million bond. He is set to appear at a June 4 preliminary hearing in justice court along with the other suspects in this case.

To date, five suspects have been charged in this incident.

Dickerson said the investigation has been long and arduous, complicated by conflicting statements given by the suspects which had to be checked for veracity.

Photo by Sue Watson

After escaping from the bottom of the pond April 11, Charles Hardeman lost control of his Toyota pickup and crashed it into a tree – leaving an imprint as pointed out by Sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

Evidence, belonging to Charles Hardeman, was recovered in a pond below a pier. Items included the buckle from his belt that had been double-looped around his ankle and broke free, the victim’s glasses and his cell phone.

A weight had been tied to the victim’s foot by the belt and broke free and was recovered at the bottom of the pond as well.

“I never in a thousand years expected to find the glasses, belt buckle, and phone in the pond,” Dickerson said.

He said he and his investigators initially probed the bottom below the pier after evidence the victim had been in water – wet clothes and muddy feet, and apparent blockage of his lungs with water when rescued by emergency personnel. A pole used to probe below the pier struck the concrete weight and the Holly Springs Fire Department dive team located the other articles and brought them all up, he said.

“The dive team did a very commendable and outstanding job,” he said.

Charles Hardeman, in critical condition after the incident, was released from the hospital a few weeks ago.

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