Bells, TN: Bells couple had history of abuse

July 15, 2010

BY MARIANN MARTIN
MMARTIN@JACKSONSUN.COM
— Mariann Martin, 425-9782
BELLS — Both the man killed in a domestic assault and the woman charged with his slaying had been arrested for domestic abuse against each other in the last year.

Greg Evans, 47, died at a hospital after he was injured around 9 p.m. Tuesday evening in his home in the 4000 block of Highway 88 South outside Bells.

Evans' girlfriend, Regina Murray, 45, has been charged with second-degree murder in his death, according to the Crockett County Sheriff's Department.

Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce could not be reached for addition information about the investigation.

Investigators from three agencies — the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Crockett County Sheriff's Department and the Bells Police Department — were involved in the investigation, as well as a TBI Violent Crime team of forensic experts from Memphis, TBI spokeswoman Kristen Helms said Wednesday.

Evans' body was sent to Memphis for an autopsy. Authorities have not released a cause of death.

On Wednesday morning, yellow crime scene tape looped from tree to tree around the large, white plantation-style home set back off the road. An investigator with the sheriff's department and a worker from the Department of Children's Services were at the scene.

Investigators did not release information about the child or children involved in the case.

Court documents show that Evans and Murray both had cases pending in Crockett County Circuit Court, as well as prior charges for assault and domestic violence.

Evans was found guilty in General Sessions Court for misdemeanor domestic assault on April 15, according to court records. The affidavit in that case shows that Evans hit Murray.

Both Evans and Murray were charged with domestic assault after a September incident but the charges were later dismissed. The affidavit states that Evans drug Murray out of the house, leaving her with knots on her head and abrasions.

According to the affidavit charging Murray, Evans said Murray had become irate and was throwing things. He then grabbed her by the arm and pushed her away, but she followed him to a nearby shop and threatened him with a tire iron.

Murray and Evans both had charges in incidents that involved Evans' mother, Gene Evans, including threats to kill her.

Gene Evans, reached by phone Wednesday evening, declined to comment.

This is the third homicide in Crockett County this year — the second in a little over a week.

Robert Lee Rhodes Jr., 36, of Memphis, died after he was shot in the head in the parking lot of the Dollar General store in Friendship on July 6.

No one has been charged in that incident. Authorities have said they hope forensic evidence from the scene and Rhodes' car may help them identify the people involved.

Tarvis Hill, 24, is charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 8 slaying of George Torey Martin, 30, at the Hole in the Wall Bar. Authorities have said Hill and Martin had a fight in the bar and after the fight, Hill displayed a pistol. Hill fired twice, with one shot hitting Martin in the upper left leg, which later killed him.