RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WGNS News) - WGNS has confirmed that one of four suspects tied to a deadly attempted robbery in Smyrna is scheduled to appear in court later this month, nearly two years after the victim was shot and killed outside a North Rutherford County gas station.
The case stems from a September 4, 2024 shooting on North Lowry Street in Smyrna, TN. After dispatchers received a call about a reported shooting, Police, Fire & Rescue Crews, along with EMS responded and found that a male victim had been shot once in the chest. The victim, later identified as 54-year-old Harlon Dwayne Webb (Pictured), was transported to TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased after arrival.
Investigators alleged that Rocky Melton, 47, Shasie R. Raney, 44, Billy Mahan Jr., 38, and a juvenile attempted to rob Webb outside the gas station. During the attempted hold-up, Webb reportedly resisted. Authorities said that during the brief struggle, Webb was shot, allegedly by the juvenile.
After the gunfire, reports indicate the juvenile and Mahan fled the scene, while Melton and Raney remained on-site. Melton and Raney were taken into custody first, with police later arresting Mahan and the teenager.
A Rutherford County grand jury ultimately indicted the three adults in connection with the attempted robbery and Webb’s death. The juvenile suspect has been handled separately through the juvenile court system and due to the age of the minor, further details have yet to be released.
Of the three adult defendants charged with first-degree murder, especially aggravated attempted robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery, Melton is currently the first scheduled for a plea hearing. His court appearance is set for this month, on July 23, 2026.
In addition to the murder and robbery-related charges, Melton is also facing a charge of providing handguns to juveniles. Under Tennessee law, that charge generally applies when a person is accused of intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly providing a handgun to a minor, or when a parent or guardian permits a juvenile to possess a handgun under circumstances prohibited by law.
Raney is scheduled to appear in court for a plea hearing on September 9, while Mahan is set to appear next month on August 31, 2026.
All three adults remain behind bars at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center in Murfreesboro, where they have been held since their arrests in 2024.
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