Police Charge Tennessee Man Living in Closet with Murder of Homeowner
Posted: April 12th, 2005 06:31 PM EDT

COLIN FLY
Associated Press Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Police said a man living in a closet at his married girlfriend's house was charged Tuesday with brutally beating and killing her husband after snoring sounds tipped off the victim to the arrangement.
''From time to time, you come across a case with very unique _ even bizarre _ circumstances,'' Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said. ''This one probably rates right up there with them.''

Rafael DeJesus Rocha-Perez, 35, of Murfreesboro, is charged with criminal homicide in the beating death of Jeffrey A. Freeman, 44, authorities said. Freeman's body was found by police in a bathroom of the home Monday afternoon after his wife, Martha Ann Freeman, 40, asked a neighbor to call authorities.

Police arrested Rocha-Perez a short time later after a witness told officers she saw a man run into a nearby home that was under construction in the upscale neighborhood. Rocha-Perez was in jail Tuesday with bond set at $500,000, and Aaron said he refused to answer any questions from investigators.

A message left at the Freemans' house on Tuesday was not returned.

Detective Brad Corcoran said his investigation discovered that Martha Freeman allowed Rocha-Perez to live in a closet of her four-bedroom home for about a month without her husband's knowledge.

Jeffrey Freeman discovered Rocha-Perez late Sunday night when he came home and heard him snoring. Authorities said Freeman ordered his wife to get Rocha-Perez out of the house while he went for a walk.

Martha Freeman told authorities when her husband returned, Rocha-Perez confronted him with a shotgun and forced him into a bathroom where Jeffrey Freeman was severely beaten. An autopsy was under way Tuesday, but investigators said Freeman had significant head injuries.

Police declined to say whether the husband knew the suspect before the incident.

''At this juncture, I really can't go into the details of any relationship or any knowledge by the two men of each other,'' Aaron said. ''It's our understanding that Rocha-Perez was her, (Martha) Freeman's, boyfriend.''

Neighbor Raegene Beverley told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she made the 911 call, describing Martha Freeman as a friend, but declined to talk about the crime.

''What she confided to me at my home about the incident, I've chosen not to talk about it,'' she said. ''If a serial killer was on the loose, I would share as much as I know. But the police department seems to be handling things well, and I trust they will unravel the whole situation.''

The Freemans were co-owners of ResiFax Inc., a company that does background checks for apartment rental and job applicants.

''It's a very tragic event ... we're very upset,'' office manager Tara Cantrell said. ''He was a wonderful man to work for.''

Authorities said Martha Freeman was not assaulted and there were no signs she was threatened with a gun or held against her will. Aaron said Freeman is cooperating with police and is considered a witness to the slaying.

Detectives continue to work with her to establish what happened during the hours between the killing and the call to police.

''We still have questions that need answers,'' Aaron said. ''We're going to continue to work with Mrs. Freeman to fill in all of the blanks.''
:dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy:

__________________
~Tainted Love~

If I'm not laughing about this one, it's because this happened frighteningly close to my home about 4 miles away as the crow flies, according to my check of MapQuest...one small moment of levity was acheived when Ms Zoid wondered if we needed to check our closets, I assured her that while there's a possibility of finding Jimmy Hoffa in one of our closets, no one could possibly have room to live in any storage area of our home...we stay in the dark a lot because I'm afraid to open the closet door to look for spare light bulbs...

__________________
Plug me into somethin'

If the theory does not conform to the facts, then the facts must be discarded.

No good deed ever goes unpunished

Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level, & beat you with experience.

LOL scotz. And I thought that was only our closets.

IAK sent me this story yesterday, what a hoot!

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas

I am afraid that hellion would have a hard time hiding anyone in our closets..

She had me remove all the doors when we moved in, not a closet dooe in the house except for the game closet and it is really tiny, so unless she has developed an addition for men who are vertically challenged ( to the extreme) I have no worries.....



Besides where is she going to find a man that will cook for her like I do..... I mean WOW I don't think she wants kitchen privledges restored that bad!!!!

__________________
Shushhhhhhhhhhhhhh......Be werrrry werrry quiet.
I am hunting wabbits.....


Story posts
First Crossing
A Secret Untold
Aimee: The Transition
Don't know where to Start

and this story just keeps getting weirder...very few details being released by Mickey Metro, but what's slipping under the door just keeps raising eyebrows...more as the situation developes...

__________________
Plug me into somethin'

If the theory does not conform to the facts, then the facts must be discarded.

No good deed ever goes unpunished

Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level, & beat you with experience.