Fourteen-year-old Rodzell Mason is being held at juvenile detention on a charge of criminal homicide for Monday afternoon’s murder of Cahal Market owner Classie Wilson.
Evidence recovered at the market by police department crime scene specialists, coupled with information provided by citizens, led to today’s identification of Mason as a potential suspect. Detectives Ben Ward and Bill Stewart located Mason at Bailey Middle School where he is an 8th grader. Mason was taken into custody at 2 p.m. after confessing to shooting Wilson during an attempted robbery. Wilson, 70, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
Mason acknowledged to being outside the market earlier in the day Monday, but said he didn’t have the nerve to commit a robbery at that moment. He said he went to his East Douglas Avenue home, changed clothes, and returned to the store. He pulled a gun on Wilson and the two exchanged shots. Mason was not hit. The gun Mason is believed to have used was recovered this afternoon.
Detectives on Monday received a report that a man had become agitated after being unable to buy single cigarettes from Wilson. Mason denied that he was involved in any such argument.
“This arrest once again points to the absolute necessity for all of Nashville to work with us in dissuading at-risk juveniles from criminal activity,” Chief Ronal Serpas said. “I am extremely grateful for the hard work of Detective Ward and his colleagues, our crime scene specialists, and persons in the community who came forward to assist us in identifying Rodzell Mason.”
Mason claimed an affiliation to an East Nashville gang, however gang activity is not believed to have played any role whatsoever in the homicide.
So far this year, a total of 14 juveniles, including Mason, have been charged with a 2007 homicide offense (three 14-year-olds, two 15-year-olds, five 16-year-olds, and four 17-year-olds).
Rodzell Mason
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