Attempted home invasion turns deadly

[Dogmatic]

Knoxville TN
5:20 in the a.m.

Before the light of day, a homeowner alleges that there was a knock on his door. Two men were standing out front. When the homeowner opened the door, the two outside tried to force their way in.

Homeowner fires his gun twice. People on front porch return fire and flee in a vehicle.

Once the sun comes up the homeowner notices a body laying in a gully near his home. Arsenio Wooten, age 17, ends up being the deceased lying in the gully.



So many questions in this case:

1. Arsenio had quite a rap sheet for a 17 year old. Once again, where are the parents?

2. Was this a case of some teenagers showing up at the wrong address to perhaps buy drugs or was this particular house targeted at random?

3. Did Arsenio never make it to the getaway vehicle, or was he pushed out by his "friend" or "friends" and left to die?

4. Who made the 911 call stating that a victim of a gunshot wound was headed to the hospital?

5.The homeowner believes he shot both people on the front porch, so who is harboring the other injured person?

[Dogmatic]

Knoxville news is reporting that Arsenio had five records of "non violent" crimes. I don't know about anyone else, but "inciting a riot" falls under the violent category for me. So by the time Arsenio had turned 17 years of age he had been arrested five times. Logic tells me he didn't get caught each and every time he did something wrong, so we can conclude that he was caught five times, but there was probably a whole host of of things that happened that he was not caught doing.

His myspace account is frightening beyond belief on many levels.

So young, yet so hardened already. So sad. Rest in peace young Arsenio.

My thoughts also go out to the homeowner and his wife, who were caught off guard by this violence and now have to pick up and move on with their lives. Peace to both of you.

[Dogmatic]

Looks like I'm the only one with any interest in this case, but in any event, a bit has changed since this news broke:

One twenty year old with an extensive criminal history drove two 17 year olds to this home with the intent of robbing the home. The 20 year old stayed in the car. The two 17 year olds, both armed with guns, went to the door. When they tried to push their way in, the homeowner fired two shots. The 17 year old that fired at the homeowner is now dead with one bullet wound to the chest. The other 17 year old was grazed by the homeowners bullet, but survived.

Both the 20 year old and the surviving 17 year old have been arrested.

The seventeen year old is being tried as a juvenile, which I find disturbing.

[Lyndilu1]

I am very interested in this case. I've been following it in the paper.

I understand they turned themselves in. Obviously more than just the two involved. Someone drove the get away car.

[Kip]

The seventeen year old is being tried as a juvenile, which I find disturbing.

I agree.

One thing I don't understand is, after the two guys came to the door, tried to force their way in, and the homeowner shot at them --did the homeowner call the police at that point? I would have. Wouldn't the homeowner be worried that these guys or friends would come back to settle the score? If LE did come, I guess they missed the body?

[R~O~S]

I don't think you're the only one interested Dogmatic, it was just so confusing at first and it would seem too difficult to actually sleuth out ourselves.

Was this a random act, was there a reason this home was targeted?

I just don't understand why people would open the door at an indecent hour. If someone knocked on my door before the light of day, and it wasn't a known neighbor, I'd be calling the police with the assumption they needed help & the police would be the logical folks to provide it at that hour.

In this day and age, everyone has cell phones, I can't imagine someone knocking on the door at that hour.

[Dogmatic]

The seventeen year old is being tried as a juvenile, which I find disturbing.

I agree.

One thing I don't understand is, after the two guys came to the door, tried to force their way in, and the homeowner shot at them --did the homeowner call the police at that point? I would have. Wouldn't the homeowner be worried that these guys or friends would come back to settle the score? If LE did come, I guess they missed the body?


From reading the articles, it's my understanding the homeowner called 911. It was still dark when the crime happened, so the body of the one 17 year old was not located until the light of day. (It sounds like he stumbled a ways away until he was overcome by his gunshot wound.) His quoted "best friend", aka the other 17 year old, left him there to die while he and the 20 year old drove away.

That's my understanding of how it happened, but you ask good questions that I would be very interested in knowing the actual answers to.

[Dogmatic]

I don't think you're the only one interested Dogmatic, it was just so confusing at first and it would seem too difficult to actually sleuth out ourselves.

Was this a random act, was there a reason this home was targeted?

I just don't understand why people would open the door at an indecent hour. If someone knocked on my door before the light of day, and it wasn't a known neighbor, I'd be calling the police with the assumption they needed help & the police would be the logical folks to provide it at that hour.

In this day and age, everyone has cell phones, I can't imagine someone knocking on the door at that hour.


I think when the dust settles it MAY be discovered that this house was targeted because the 20 year old had knowledge that there were possibly some drugs there.

In any event, these three were working the system. The twenty year old knew he was an "adult" so drove the "kids" to do the handy work. Those 17 year olds knew exactly what they were doing, and the surviving one should be tried as an adult.

The homeowner may not be an angel, but I'm guessing that it's only by luck that he and his wife aren't dead and those three gang bangers aren't on to their next conquest.

[R~O~S]

ahhhh, so possibly accustomed to visitors at an odd hour, which explains answering the door. & possibly reason to be a tad suspicious of those visitors to a degree, which explains being armed when answering it.

Yes, I agree, the 17 year old should be charged as an adult. It's only by virtue of a couple of months, not life experience, that even allows him to be tried as a juvenile. His intent was clear from the knock on the door, apparently even his friends are expendable given he'd leave him to die in a ditch like a wounded animal.

Is there an article you could link? TIA, I'll try to find it myself if not, no pressure.

[R~O~S]

hmmm, aggravated burglary is a Class C felony in TN. Why aren't they being charged with murder?

Their friend died as a result of their actions during the commission of a felony. I think these charges could be upgraded.

Initial report dtd 08/06/09

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/aug/06/police-teen-shot-chest-during-attempted-home-invas/

Two charged, dtd 08/11/09

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=95555&catid=2

Aggravated burglary, TN statute:

http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2007/12/aggravated_burglary_tennessee.html

[Dogmatic]

ahhhh, so possibly accustomed to visitors at an odd hour, which explains answering the door. & possibly reason to be a tad suspicious of those visitors to a degree, which explains being armed when answering it.

Yes, I agree, the 17 year old should be charged as an adult. It's only by virtue of a couple of months, not life experience, that even allows him to be tried as a juvenile. His intent was clear from the knock on the door, apparently even his friends are expendable given he'd leave him to die in a ditch like a wounded animal.

Is there an article you could link? TIA, I'll try to find it myself if not, no pressure.


I couldn't get the link to work. www.knoxnews.com.

several articles there.

[R~O~S]

I couldn't get the link to work. www.knoxnews.com.

several articles there.

No worries Dogmatic, thank you for trying. I did find a couple & I was able to get the Knoxnews link to work.

Again, thanks for trying, but I had enough info using Arsenio's name.