Not content to just murder their friend, they also brutally killed his beloved Yorkie

TENNESSEE -- Chance Loftis and Travis Jenkins have spent the last 30 months in the Hamilton County Jail, counting birthdays and awaiting trial on charges they beat a man to death and killed his dog.

At the time of his arrest, Loftis was 24. Last month he turned 27. Jenkins, 28 when he was picked up and charged with Donald Rogers' murder, will celebrate his 31st birthday next week.

Neither has been convicted. Until the evidence is laid out in court, they're still considered innocent. And on Monday, a judge said they've waited too long in jail.

  

Over protests from a prosecutor, Judge Don Poole gave both men reduced bonds of $75,000 and ordered them to stay on house arrest if they're released. They will be monitored with ankle bracelets, and Loftis will be released to Transformation Project, a rehabilitation program.

Police say Loftis and Jenkins went fishing with Rogers in an aluminum boat near Grasshopper Creek Recreation Area in April 2012. The next day a fisherman found Rogers, 46, dead and hanging partly off the side of the boat.

According to police, the men became angry with Rogers after he steered the boat into an obstruction in the river, disabling it some distance from their campsite. All three had been drinking, they said.
Jenkins told police Loftis beat and strangled Rogers because he couldn't find their campsite.

A witness testified that Loftis told her he and Jenkins killed the man together. Jenkins told police they also killed the man's Yorkshire terrier. The dog's body was found floating near the boat.

Both men were charged with first-degree murder, aggravated animal cruelty and aggravated burglary.

(Times Free Press - Nov 12, 2014)