Red Bank homicide victim's skull fractured in 10 places during home invasion

The resident of this house on Redding Road in Red Bank, Jordan Collins, was found dead Saturday morning and Red Bank police believe the death is connected to a robbery.

Photo by Jenna Walker.

The assailants who killed Red Bank resident Jordan Collins last week leveled bone-deep blows to the right side of his head, fracturing his skull in more than 10 places, according to the Hamilton County Medical Examiner's report.

The report, released Friday, states that Collins, 27, died of blunt force injuries to the head Sept. 24. Red Bank police believe attackers beat him with a crowbar during a home invasion robbery at 3710 Redding Road.

Collins was discovered dead inside his home.

Authorities have charged his former roommate, 19-year-old Zachary Hughes, with criminal homicide in connection with the death.

Markel Mitchell, 16, and Jeremy Sean Reinig, 27 also are charged with criminal homicide. All three and 19-year-old Lorenzo Bell have been charged with fraudulent use of a credit card.

The preliminary hearings for the four men were moved from Monday to Oct. 10.

Mitchell, Hughes and Reinig remain in Hamilton County Jail without bond. Bell has a bond set at $5,000.

Authorities believe Collins was killed between 11 p.m. Sept. 24 and 3 a.m. Sept. 25 in his home at 3710 Redding Road.

At 3:21 a.m. Sept. 25, his credit card was used at the nearby Kangaroo station on Redding to buy $637.09 worth of cigarettes, according to newspaper archives.

Later, Collins' card was used to buy about $180 in clothing and an Xbox game at the Walmart on Signal Mountain Road.

Red Bank Police Detective Doug Millsaps who is handling the case said the investigation is ongoing and could not comment further on the circumstances surrounding the slaying.

Contact staff writer Kate Harrison at kharrison@times freepress.com or 423-757-6673.