A preliminary hearing was heard today in Jackson City Court where Matthew
Smith is charged with two counts of Attempted Especially Aggravated Kidnapping
in the attempted abductions of two 10-year-old girls. Both victims, along with a
family member of one of the girls, testified in court today. After hearing the proof,
the judge found probable cause and sent the case to the Madison County grand
jury. Smith will continue to be held on $200,000 bond. The case is anticipated to
be heard by the grand jury in July.
RECAP:
On April 13, 2009, there were two separate reports made to the Jackson Police
Department of a suspicious man who was reportedly trying to coax two 10-yearold
girls into his van in different incidents.
The first incident occurred around 4:00 p.m. on Derbyshire off of University
Parkway when he first drove up to a driveway where a girl was playing and made
some untoward comments to her then tried to coax her to get into his van. The
girl alerted a family member who saw the suspect and vehicle.
The second incident occurred about 5:00 p.m. on Harvest Cove near the
intersection of Old Humboldt Rd and Moize Cutoff Road when he approached
another girl who was in a neighbor's yard. He told her to get in the van but she
fled to her house.
Jackson police identified Matthew Craig Smith, 24, of Jackson as the man
responsible. He was arrested on April 14 around 7:00 p.m. after investigators
recognized him in the back seat of a vehicle. Police stopped the vehicle at the TMart
at 26 Bowling Drive and he was taken into custody.
The Jackson Police Department's Patrol Division, Criminal Investigation Division,
Street Crimes Unit, Aviation Unit, and the Jackson Madison County Metro
Narcotics Unit were all involved in the identification, search, and apprehension of
Smith.
