Maryville couple robbed

The Blount County Sheriff’s Office responded to an aggravated burglary and aggravated assault that occurred at a residence on Highland Road in Maryville at around 2:15 a.m. Tuesday, July 1.
When Deputy Brian Frazier arrived at the Highland Road residence of Daniel William Orasco, 19, Orasco told Deputy Frazier that he and Nikki Jean Rhodes, 18, same address, were sitting in the living room when he heard someone trying to come in the front door. Orasco said he was expecting company, so he went down and unlatched the door. Orasco said that four black men, wearing blue bandanas around their faces forced their way into the house asking for his money. One of the men was brandishing a handgun. Three of the men went upstairs, and one of the men forced Orasco to the floor and duct-taped his hands behind his back, and put a blanket over his head. The man then asked him where he kept his money.
Orasco said he led the man to a safe on the second floor of the residence, and while Orasco was trying to open it, one of the men got frustrated and began to hit him on the back of the head with a gun, pulled him away from the safe, and kicked him in the ribs. The couple said that Rhodes, whose hands had also been duct taped, was allowed to open the safe after the men removed the duct tape. The men took a large amount of cash from the safe, along with a Ruger .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun and an X-Box game unit. Orasco said the men ransacked the bedroom, overturning furniture and emptying drawers.
According to the report, Rhodes’ 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse was also ransacked, but nothing was taken.
The men are described as being in their early 20s. At least one, and possibly two of the men were wearing black shorts with black shirts. One man is said to have tightly braided “cornrow” style hair.
Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to call Investigator Danny Wilburn at 273-5000, or the Crime Prevention Hotline at 273-5200.

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