TENNESSEE — A man who murdered two U.S. Postal Service workers during a six-month crime spree with his son in 2010 was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences, federal officials announced Tuesday.
Chastain Montgomery, Sr., 50, of Lavergne, Tennessee, was also ordered to pay $70,400 in restitution for crimes committed during a six-month spree that included the murders of postal workers Paula Robinson and Judy Spray.
“With the help of his son, Chastain Montgomery, Sr. heartlessly murdered two U.S. postal employees and put countless others at risk during a violent six-month crime spree that included armed bank robbery and kidnapping,” said Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell. “No sentence can pay for the loss of a loved one, but we hope this prosecution has helped bring some sense of closure to the victims’ families.”
According to the evidence in this case, this is what officials said happened during the crime spree:
- On Oct. 18, 2010, Montgomery, Sr. and his son Chastain Montgomery, Jr. drove from Nashville, Tennessee to Henning, Tennessee, robbed the U.S. Post Office, and then murdered Sales and Service Associate Robinson and Rural Carrier Associate Spray.
- Following their crimes, the Montgomeries returned to Nashville. Eight days later, Montgomery, Jr. stole a Nissan Frontier pick-up truck in Smyrna, Tennessee and used it as the getaway vehicle following their robbery at gunpoint of Southeast Financial Credit Union in Lavergne on Oct. 29, 2010.
- One month later on Nov. 29, 2010, the pair stole a Chevy Venture minivan and used it as a getaway vehicle following the robbery at gunpoint of Mid-South Bank in Smyrna, Tennessee.
- On Feb. 14, 2011, the pair made plans to leave the Middle Tennessee area. Montgomery, Jr. carjacked a man, stole his Chevrolet pick-up truck, and drove it from Nashville to Mason, Tennessee. During the journey he was observed by Chief Deputy Sheriff Mike Smothers of the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department, who began a vehicular pursuit.
- Chief Deputy Smothers reported that Montgomery, Jr. began driving at an excessive rate of speed and veered into other lanes in what appeared to be an attempt to cause an auto accident. Chief Deputy Smothers was joined in his pursuit by Mason Police Chief J. C. Paris.
- When Montgomery, Jr. entered the town of Mason, he exited his vehicle and began shooting at members of law enforcement and innocent civilians outside a nearby market. Chief Deputy Smothers returned fire and struck Montgomery, Jr. who died at the scene.
- Law enforcement immediately cordoned off the crime scene and began processing evidence. While doing so, officials noticed Montgomery, Sr. cross the crime scene barrier and begin moving toward the Chevy truck driven by his son. He was taken into custody and transported to the Tipton County Sheriff’s Department.
- While there, Montgomery, Sr. was interviewed by U.S.Postal Inspectors and made a full confession to all of his crimes.
- Law enforcement confiscated a number of weapons and other items from the Mason crime scene, including the Ruger 9mm pistol and the Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol used to kill Robinson and Spray; a .45 caliber Glock pistol; a .380 pistol; two Mossburg 12 gauge shotguns; a Remington 12 gauge shotgun; a Springfield 9mm pistol; a Rossi .357 Magnum revolver; large amounts of ammunition; ski masks and latex gloves.