Mt. Juliet Police Newsroom

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Responding to a report from a neighbor about a suspicious person, officers discovered a man inside the attic of a home where he unlawfully entered. Around 1:30 p.m. this afternoon, officers responded to the 200 block of Karen Drive after a neighbor spotted a man that was not allowed to be at a home in the area. When officers arrived, they heard movement inside the house and waited on a homeowner to let them inside.

18-year-old Matthew Casto was found hiding from officers under Christmas decorations in an attic space, and while resisting officers, a Taser was deployed. Casto was previously charged with Aggravated Criminal Trespass back on June 2, 2019 for unlawfully entering the same home, and he appeared in court today on those charges.

Casto was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail, charged with Aggravated Criminal Trespass and Resisting Arrest.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Detectives are investigating the circumstances of a man’s death after a body was located in a wooded area. Around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, June 10, a curious resident, venturing into woods to determine the cause of a foul odor near their home, located a decomposing body in the 1000 block of Secretariat Drive. A preliminary assessment by an investigative team led them to believe that foul play was likely not involved in the subject’s death. The investigation will continue, which includes an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Detectives have been unable to identify the deceased person, but it is a thin white male in their late teens to early 20s.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling (615) 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at http://www.mjpd.org/.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A vigilant officer led to the apprehension of three armed robbery suspects from Wilson County. On Sunday, June 9, 2019 around 7:10 p.m., the Mt. Juliet Police Department was notified by the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) to be on the lookout for a suspect vehicle that was just allegedly involved in an armed robbery on Short Drive, in unincorporated Mt. Juliet, off of Benders Ferry Road. Officer Neal spotted the suspect vehicle near Lebanon Road and N. Mt. Juliet Road, and with the assistance of fellow officers and WCSO deputies, three juvenile suspects were apprehended.

“We are thankful that an officer spotted these suspects shortly after they just committed a violent crime,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “Good communication between different police agencies, great vigilance on behalf of Officer Neal, and a strong commitment to keeping our community safe led a successful apprehension.”

WCSO deputies and detectives took over the investigation due to the incident occurring in their jurisdiction.

WCSO Detective Sergeant Woods stated, “The victim in the case reported that an online purchase of electronics had been arranged, and upon the suspects arriving at his home, he was robbed by the individuals who were reportedly armed with a handgun. Multiple charges will be presented to the Juvenile Court of Wilson County.”

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Wilson County oldest veteran is turning 100 years old, and Mt. Juliet Police will escort World War II Veteran Max Anderson and his wife, Flossie, to his centennial celebration this Memorial Day. The celebration will be held during a special closing ceremony for the “Honoring Our American Flag” display, organized by the local Exchange Club and American Legion, on Monday, May 27 at 2:00 p.m. at the Mt. Juliet Train Station.

During the escort, the community is encouraged to stand along the escort route in a display of patriotism, support of our country’s Veterans, and appreciation for Mr. Anderson’s service. The escort will begin at 1:30 p.m. near N.W. Rutland Rd (near First Baptist Church) and travel northbound on North Mt. Juliet Road to East Division Street. The community should anticipate a minor traffic delay on North Mt. Juliet Road while the escort is underway.

Map of Escort Route:

This Lebanon Democrat article provides more details into Mr. Anderson’s celebration: Wilson’s oldest veteran to be celebrated Memorial Day

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Detectives are actively investigating a vague bomb threat that was texted to an individual, threatening a third party, who was inside Mt. Juliet Middle School. The threat was not specific towards the school, but it referenced a building the person was currently in. Out of an abundance of caution, officers and emergency personnel responded to the school to ensure it was safe.

After the school was evacuated and parking lot secured, explosive detection canines from Lebanon Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit responded to the scene to assist in ensuring the property was safe.

Officers and canines searched the school property, and it was deemed safe around 5:40 p.m. Based off the context of the text and other information gained from the initial investigation, all indications lead to the threat as being a scam related to a bitcoin blackmail tactic. Detectives continue to investigate the source and are hoping to identify the person responsible for the threat.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling (615) 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at http://www.mjpd.org/.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Detectives are hoping someone will recognize a man who cashed a fraudulent check on April 11, 2019, at the Bank of Tennessee, at 1982 Providence Parkway. Detectives determined that the check was likely duplicated from an original check that was previously cashed. It is also possible that the suspect resides or frequents the East Tennessee area.

If anyone has a feeling that they possibly know the suspect responsible for this crime, they are encouraged to call the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling (615) 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at http://www.mjpd.org/.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. — Around 8:26 a.m. this morning officers responded to Mt. Juliet Middle School after receiving a report of a student, experiencing an emotional crisis, standing in a school counselor’s office and holding a steak-style knife. Officers arrived and assisted a Wilson County Sheriff’s School Resource Officer in disarming the student, which was successful without any use of force.

No one was harmed during the incident, and no students were placed in any danger while the event was occurring. Wilson County Schools have notified parents, and the student will be receiving the necessary care.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A reality-based portrayal of a car crash and the subsequent response by first responders, emergency medical staff, and law enforcement will take place this Friday at 1:00 p.m. at Mt. Juliet High School. A joint effort with the school’s health science classes and Mt. Juliet Police Department will bring the dangers of distracted driving to reality, just days before prom on Saturday.

The purpose of this exercise is to impress upon students the severe consequences of driving while distracted. The students will receive firsthand experience of exactly what they could be responsible for, including killing someone, possibly one of their friends, as well as being arrested for crimes as serious as vehicular homicide. Also, the mock crash is also a reminder for parents and guardians to talk to their teens about the consequences of bad driving behavior.

The crash will take place on Golden Bear Gateway, directly in front of Mt. Juliet High School. Therefore, Golden Bear Gateway will be closed between Stonehollow Way and Woodridge Place on Friday, April 26, 2019, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the exercise. During the simulated response, the public should expect to see emergency vehicles and a medical helicopter in the area of Mt. Juliet High School.

Agencies participating in the event are the Mt. Juliet Police Department, Fire Department of Mt. Juliet, Wilson County Emergency Management Agency, and Vanderbilt Lifeflight. Hamblen’s Wrecker Service of Mt. Juliet is providing the crashed vehicles for the exercise.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Detectives are hoping someone will recognize a woman who fraudulently used someone’s identity to obtain a credit card. On March 6, 2019, a female suspect went to Best Buy, at 401 S. Mt. Juliet Road, and opened a fraudulent credit card account to purchase a $2,100 Apple MacBook Pro.

If anyone has a feeling that they possibly know the suspect responsible for this crime, they are encouraged to call the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling (615) 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at http://www.mjpd.org/.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – 29-year-old Dace Martinez, reported missing on August 25, 2018, was found deceased in Hermitage last week. He was last known to be at his house on West Division Street in Mt. Juliet near the Davidson County line, and his skeletal remains were located in a wooded area just into Davidson County.

Since he was reported missing, detectives conducted extensive searches of property near his home with the help of specially trained dogs. In addition, detectives contacted all of Dace’s known acquaintances and reviewed communication details on his mobile phone and online presence. There was no trace of Dace until forensic analysis confirmed the identity of skeletal remains located in Hermitage.

Metro Nashville Police Department detectives found no signs of foul play at the scene of where the remains were found. The circumstances surrounding Dace’s death remain under investigation by Metro Police.

 

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