MURFREESBORO TN. (Metro-Nashville) Feb 7 2008
The man accused of killing an assistant manager at a Murfreesboro O’Charley’s during a robbery has a history of robbing restaurants, police told the media on Wednesday.
Antonio Danzelle Alexander, 45, of Smyrna Tenn., was arrested Wednesday morning at his place of employment on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery.
He is accused of shooting and killing Nader Bahmanziari, 41, an assistant manager at the O’Charley’s on Memorial Boulevard early Sunday while robbing the restaurant.
Police say that he is no stranger to crime and no stranger to the justice system. In fact he’s been an active player in the system for many years police say.
According to authorities, Alexander has served time for the 1997 armed robbery of a Davidson County restaurant. At the time of that robbery, he was already on parole for a robbery in Rutherford County.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigations spokeswoman Kristin Helm said Alexander spent time on the TBI’s most-wanted list after the Davidson County robbery, but he was later apprehended in Georgia.
Alexander also has been arrested on charges ranging from being a felon in possession of a handgun to sale of cocaine, according to the TBI.
After aan around the clock investigation of the robbery gone bad by city police and several other agencies, Alexander was arrested about 8 a.m. Wednesday at International Paper Co. in Murfreesboro, where he works. Company officials said he had been employed there since 2006 but declined further comment.
Alexander was being held without bond Wednesday at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. He is due in Rutherford County General Sessions Court on March 18.
Police have said Bahmanziari was in the manager’s office counting money, preparing for the next day of business, when the robbery occurred.
Police also believe Bahmanziari complied with the robber’s demands, so it’s unclear what prompted the suspect to open fire.
“We hope this arrest will be the beginning of the closure process for the family. Murfreesboro and Rutherford County are a safer place with this man behind bars,” Murfreesboro police spokesman Kyle Evans said.
Bahmanziari, a 15-year employee of O’Charley’s, was married and had two children. His funeral is at 2 p.m. today at Murfreesboro Funeral Home.
Evidence at the scene and information from the community led police to Alexander, Evans said.
“Once (Alexander) became a suspect, the pieces began to fall into place,” he said. “It became obvious that this man, Alexander, was the person who committed the crime.”
Evans said he could not discuss the details of the evidence or the investigation.
Police believe Alexander was the only person actively involved in the robbery and shooting, Evans said.
He credited the hard work of the Criminal Investigations team led by Detective John Singleton with Alexander’s arrest.
“We are doing everything we can to assure the prosecution of this case,” Evans said.
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