34 year Steve Mabe, Jr of 387 Lee Braswell Road has been charged with attempted first degree murder in the shooting of 32 year old Donnie Stanley, Jr.
The shooting occurred at Stanley’s home on Toad Road. It was reported to central dispatch at 8:54 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, Mabe’s wife, 35 year old Rachel Mabe has been charged with several drug offenses.
Sheriff Patrick Ray told WJLE Thursday morning that a search warrant was executed and served at Mabe’s residence around midnight. Officers seized more than 35 weapons, some cash, pills, and other evidence.
Mrs. Mabe was charged with possession of a schedule III controlled substance for sale and delivery (Tylenol with Codeine), possession of a legend drug (phenergan), and possession of a schedule IV controlled substance for sale and delivery (20 Xanax).
According to Sheriff Ray, Officers also found in the home a ledger which was used to record drug transactions.
Steve Mabe, Jr. is under a $500,000 bond and Mrs. Mabe’s bond is $51,500. Both will appear in General Sessions Court November 29th.
Meanwhile, Stanley remains in the intensive care unit of Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
Sheriff Ray says Stanley was shot once in the right side of his face and the bullet protruded into the neck.
Sheriff Ray described for WJLE the events that occurred after the shooting leading up to the arrests of the Mabe’s. “Stanley got shot while in the doorway of his residence. He then went back to wake up another man who lives there with him. He asked his friend to call for help. After discovering that there was no phone service or electricity (the power to the home had been manually shut off and then the phone line was disconnected by someone), Stanley’s friend ran to a neighbor’s house two doors down to call for help. Stanley then jumped into a truck and drove himself to the neighbor’s house where his friend had gone, got out, went inside the residence and collapsed. By then 911 had been called and officers and DeKalb EMS were enroute. After the detectives and deputies got to the scene, Stanley told them that it was Steve Mabe, Jr. who shot him.”
Knowing that Mabe resides on Lee Braswell Road, Sheriff Ray says he went to that area and parked at D& D Market on Short Mountain Road. A deputy also arrived at the market along with a reserve deputy, who was in his private vehicle. “I saw Mabe go by in a dark colored car. I then got into the truck with the deputy and we drove by Mabe’s residence, where we saw the dark colored car parked there.”
Sheriff Ray says he and the deputy went back to D & D Market where they and other officers were going to gather before returning to surround Mabe’s home. However, before they got organized, Mabe left his home in a white S-10 pickup truck. Officers pulled Mabe over at Kilgore’s Market on Short Mountain Road, and he was taken into custody.
According to Sheriff Ray, officers then returned to Mabe’s house. “We went there to secure the house. We also took three adults and a child out of the residence, including Rachel Mabe, and brought them to the jail to be interviewed. After gathering enough information, we executed a search warrant and arrested them (Mabe’s)”
Sheriff Ray says Mabe was charged with the shooting based on the statement given by Stanley and other evidence gathered during the investigation. He says Mrs. Mabe was charged because of the drugs found in her pocket book and pill bottles as well as the ledger, which recorded drug transactions.
He says the Mabes are believed to be drug dealers in this community.
Steve Mabe, Jr. was indicted by the April term of the DeKalb County Grand Jury for sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance (Oxycontin) and that case is still pending.
Sheriff Ray declined to give a possible motive for the shooting. He says the case remains under investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The affidavit of complaint against Mabe states that “On November 14th, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call for assistance in the Toad Road area at approximately 8:54 a.m. Deputies arrived at a residence on Toad Road. Upon arrival, they discovered Donnie Stanley, Jr. who had a gunshot wound to the right side of his face. Donnie Stanley was still able to communicate. When asked by Detective Jon Odom and then again later by Sergeant Mike Billings, “Who Shot You”?, Stanley’s reply was Steve Mabe, Jr.”
“Witnesses have provided information that Steve Mabe, Jr. was not at home on November 14th during the time that Donnie Stanley, Jr. was shot. Witnesses also provided information that Steve Mabe, Jr. returned home not long after Donnie Stanley, Jr. was shot. When he returned home, he changed his footwear from boots to tennis type shoes. Steve Mabe, Jr.’s hair and clothing were wet.”
“After hearing the emergency call to Toad Road, Sheriff Patrick Ray said he was parked at the D&D Market located near the home of Steve Mabe, Jr. Sheriff Ray further advised that he observed Steve Mabe, Jr. driving a dark colored four door sedan. Sheriff Ray stated that minutes later, he drove by Mabe’s residence and observed the same car parked at Mabe’s residence that was discovered at the Donnie Stanley, Jr. residence where the shooting had occurred.”
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