December 31, 2016 - Two individuals have been arrested following the alleged brutal beating, disrobing, and kidnapping of an individual seeking to sell audio equipment.
Kevin W. Askew, 32, of Timpson was arrested December 12, 2016 and has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, felony 1, $25,000; aggravated robbery, felony 1, $25,000; and engaging in organized criminal activity, felony 1, $5,000. Morgan Magee, 33, of Center was arrested December 23, 2016 and has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, felony 1, $25,000; aggravated robbery, felony 1, $25,000; engaging in organized criminal activity, felony 1, $5,000; violation of probation: original charge - possession of a controlled substance, no bond set; violation of probation: original charge - burglary of a building, no bond set; and violation of probation: original charge - hindering apprehension or prosecution, no bond set.
According to the arrest affidavit, an investigation was opened December 17, 2016 when the victim reported the occurence to Shelby County Sheriff's Deputy Cody Muse. He told Deputy Muse of the alleged events occurring on December 13, 2016 when he met with a man at Valero gas station in Center to sell a set of car audio speakers.
It was then the victim learned Kevin Askew, who accompanied the man he was meeting, was seeking to purchase the speakers. After their business was completed, Askew asked for and received a ride from the victim. The victim alleges he drove to a location on CR 1168 to the residence of a friend of Askew and upon arrival he was unable to arouse Askew as he had passed out in the vehicle.
After finding it impossible to awaken Askew from his slumber, the victim drove to a friend's house in Martinsville. The following morning, December 14, 2016 the victim departed his friend's residence at 7:30am with a then awake Askew and embarked on a trip to Nacogdoches to see another friend. During this trip, Askew supposedly received a text message his girlfriend had been in an automobile accident and was in the hospital, and he asked the victim to drive him home to change clothes and then on to the hospital.
While on the way to his house, Askew allegedly claimed to be missing a small pouch and the two men searched the stopped vehicle for the pouch on the side of the road. Following the fruitless search, the pair continued on their journey to Askew's home.
Several individuals were located at Askew's house upon arrival including Morgan Magee, another female and two black males unknown to the victim. While the victim sat on a couch in the residence amidst the other individuals, Askew allegedly entered the room with a baseball bat and struck the victim several times in the head and leg with the bat and punched him in the face whilst accusing him of taking the missing pouch from Askew.
After this assault, the victim claimed the larger of the two black males held a large hunting knife while he stood over him. The victim then lay unconcious for about an hour. Askew and the two other males allegedly stripped the victim naked, followed by the smaller of the two black males tying him up with electrical cord. The victim believes this happened at around 9am.
During this time, Askew is alleged to have contacted a friend of the victim who agreed to meet at the residence. The victim claims Magee entered the room holding his cell phone telling him she would be keeping the device.
The friend of the victim was able to convince the victim's captors to release him. Askew allegedly had the victim fill out a bill of sale for his vehicle and took his keys and advised the vitctim to pay him $300 within 24 hours.
During a follow-up interview by Sheriff's Department Investigator Michael Griffin, the victim was asked for a description of the role Magee played in the incident. The victim alleged Magee acted as a mediator telling him if they were given what they wanted everything would be better, and when his friend arrived to pick him up Magee gave him the SIM card for his phone and told him she would sell it to him for $175. The victim also said his captors kept claiming he had stolen Askew's "dope."
