The Robbery

Hi, park enthusiasts. I'm your host, Delia D'Ambra, and the case I'm going to share with you today is a story of murder, but it's also a story of survival. It's a case that has more than a few suspects and a living eyewitness, yet it has remained unsolved. It happened in Renaissance Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the summer of 2017, so not that long ago. In order to research this story as thoroughly as I needed to, I knew I had to interview the one person who experienced the crime and live to tell investigators exactly what happened. That person's name is Sean Hardy, and he also happens to be the victim's husband. For years, Sean remained silent when it came to discussing what happened to his wife, Kathy. But when I reached out to him and we got to know one another, he decided it was finally time to publicly pursue justice on Kathy's behalf, which is why he did an in-depth interview for the first time. His remembrances of what happened to him and his late wife in Renaissance Park are not for the faint of heart. Thanks to his bravery and my ability to access a number of court records in this case, I've been able to put together what I feel is the most comprehensive coverage of their story to date. An important detail you should know about Renaissance Park is that it's an urban park. It's located on the north shore of the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga. It's the former site of an industrial area that's been converted into a park. Lots of people visit here throughout the year because of its eye-catching architecture and unique design. According to Chattanooga.gov, it's 23 acres in size and has a pavilion, a number of trails, art displays, historic markers, and picnic areas. There are some piers which stretch out over the Tennessee River, and it was on one of those piers that the unthinkable happened to Sean and Kathy Hardy, something that to this day remains shrouded in mystery and still needs resolution. This is Park Predators. We'll be back in just a few minutes, and we'll be back in just a few minutes, and we'll be back in just a few minutes, and we'll be back in just a few minutes, and we'll be back in Sometime between 9.30 and 10 p.m. on the night of Saturday, July 15, 2017, Sean Hardy and his wife, 45-year-old Kathy Hardy, were running a little bit late. They were running a little bit late, and they were running a little bit late, and they were getting to Renaissance Park in Chattanooga. The couple was from Huntsville, Alabama, but had been visiting Tennessee to take a break from life and spend time together. They'd been in town for a few weeks, visiting with some of Sean's relatives who lived in Chattanooga. Sean had recently suffered two heart attacks and had surgery on one of his feet, so this getaway was a much-needed reset for him and Kathy. While they'd been in the city, Kathy had visited Renaissance Park with friends and really wanted to take her husband there so he could see it for the first time. It was a great idea because on that Saturday, the park was hosting a movie night for visitors, and the area was buzzing with activity. Sean told me he estimated there were about 100 people around when he and Kathy arrived. He saw folks walking along the trails and even spotted a few people paddleboarding in the nearby Tennessee River. After the couple parked their car and got out to start walking, they made their way down a concrete sidewalk that ran along the river to look at some artwork and metal statues. Near the end of that path, the couple stopped to look at a sculpture. They saw a couple of people walking along the river, and they saw a couple of people standing on top of the sculpture. As Kathy was reading a plaque for the piece of art, Sean stood by her side. Then, out of nowhere, he felt something press hard against the back of his head, followed by a man's voice ordering him and Kathy to walk out onto the nearby pier. Not wanting to upset their captor, Sean and Kathy complied. But once they were out on the pier, Sean turned around and saw that there were actually three men behind him, not just one. As one of the assailants pressed the gun against Sean's forehead, another one demanded the couple's belongings. According to Sean, he handed over their car keys, some eyeglasses, a cell phone, $6 in cash from his wallet, and everything else he and his wife could find, which wasn't much. Because they were walking around, he said Kathy had decided to leave her purse locked up in their car, so she literally had nothing of value on her. Still, the trio of men forced Sean to remove his shirt and ordered Kathy to do the same. But Sean said that request was not enough. He said, Sean said that request was not enough. He said, He stepped between his wife and the three robbers, fearful that they were only asking her to undress so that they could assault her further. While this was all happening, he tried to reassure Kathy that everything would be okay. But as soon as he turned back around to look at the assailants, he was struck in the head, heard a gunshot, and then felt himself fall. A short time later, he regained consciousness and realized he was beneath the pier on some rocks, unable to see his wife anymore. He could still hear her, though, screaming up above. Then, two more gunshots rang out. Frantic to get to Kathy, Sean scrambled along the rocks beneath the pier, trying to find a way up the embankment. But the terrain was too steep. He'd just had surgery on one of his feet and was having to use a cane to even walk, so he had to lumber for a little ways along the shoreline until he got to an area he could climb up to get help. The whole time he was scrambling along the rocks, he shouted for someone to help him, and tried to get the attention of a nearby boater, as well as people who lived in buildings overlooking the river. But no one responded. When he finally emerged from the embankment, he realized he was on property owned by a concrete factory. Thankfully, a security guard there saw Sean and promptly called 911. Shortly after that, the Chattanooga Police Department was alerted, and around 1235 AM, which was Sunday the 16th by that point, some officers arrived where Sean was while others went to the crime scene. Police reports state that investigators found Kathy on the pier dead from gunshot wounds, but there were no suspects in the immediate vicinity. Authorities' prime source of information to figure out what occurred was Sean. So naturally, they asked him to come down to the police station for an interview. Before bringing him in, though, authorities let him get checked out at a local emergency room. But the whole time, Sean did not get good vibes from the officers who were with him. He felt like he was being treated as a victim of a crime, and that he was being treated as a victim of a crime. He felt like he was being treated as a victim of a crime. from the get-go, and that investigators did not believe his story. He was grilled for eight long hours and repeatedly called a monster. There was one point where he said he had this wild moment where he nearly became convinced that he'd committed the crime, even though he knew he hadn't. That's how ruthless and intense he described the officers who were interrogating him. But despite law enforcement's aggressive tactics, Sean never veered from his story. He was adamant that he and Kathy had been approached by, three men, and attacked seemingly in a robbery gone wrong. In police reports, Sean described the assailant who'd held the gun to his head as a tall, light-skinned black man who had a goatee. He described the guy's shorts as being just below the knees. But other than that, Sean couldn't remember much else from the attack since it happened so quickly, and he'd gone over the edge of the pier shortly before his wife was murdered. At some point during his eight-hour interrogation, one investigator had been on the streets following up on leads and spoke about the attack. Sean said, with several witnesses who'd reported hearing the shooting. One of those witnesses said they'd seen three black men walking in a brisk and determined manner shortly after the shots rang out. And to this witness, at least, the men appeared to be fleeing the area toward a neighboring street. Investigators had also located surveillance footage from some businesses near the park that showed three men getting into a white Dodge Charger and leaving the area shortly after the crime. So with those clues in hand, Sean told me that it was really at that point in time that he the Chattanooga Police Department began to view and treat him as less of a suspect and more as a victim in this whole thing. Basically, the police realized his story checked out, and it was unlikely he was involved in what had happened to his wife. Understandably, though, Sean was extremely frustrated that he'd been zeroed in on as a suspect so quickly. It angered him because he felt like the police had wasted valuable time while Kathy's killers got further and further away. In hindsight, he understands why police looked at him, but the unfortunate reality was that there was a gap in time between when authorities were trying to find out what really happened and when they wrapped up Sean's interrogation. Once his interrogation did end, though, authorities let him go, and he immediately met up with his sister and began trying to grieve the loss of his wife and process the news with his two teenage sons. He and Kathy's youngest son, Brandon, was there in Chattanooga with relatives, but the eldest, Michael, was back home in Alabama. Sean and Kathy met when they were just 16 years old, and after that, they were pretty much inseparable. They'd gotten married young, and Sean still refers to his wife as his soulmate. Early on, the couple struggled to start their family, receiving a diagnosis at one point from their doctors, which told them they may never be able to have children. But then, several years after that, to everyone's surprise, Kathy got pregnant and gave birth to their son, Michael. One year after that, the couple welcomed their second son, Brandon. And the way Sean described this period of time was that, "He and Kathy's world completely changed in the best way." He said both of their sons loved their mom and bonded closely with her. She stayed at home and Sean's job was the main source of income. Sean described Kathy as the type of person who was always happy and she never really got upset about anything. She was peaceful and didn't like conflict. He said she usually tried to find the good in everyone and was always kind regardless of what was going on in her own life. Sean told me that Kathy was always telling him to worry less about things. But when it came to the murder investigation and finding the people responsible for killing Kathy, all Sean could do was worry and wait. Meanwhile, authorities had shifted their focus onto the unknown trio of men who they suspected were responsible for the crime. In the first week or so of the investigation, authorities caught a lucky break that would give the case the boost it needed. According to police reports, in the days following Kathy's murder, Chattanooga police officers reviewed reports of other robberies that had occurred in the general vicinity of Renaissance Park before and after the crime. And wouldn't you know it, there had been a robbery on North Market Street, which was less than a mile from the homicide scene. A getaway vehicle used in that incident closely matched the description of the car Kathy suspected assailants had gotten into. It was the same color, make, and color as the car Kathy suspected assailants had gotten into. Color, make, and model, which to me, sound like details authorities may not have found coincidental. So they dug in, and a name that surfaced from the North Market Street robbery investigation was Chattanooga resident Tyree Corley. Tyree matched the general characteristics of the gunman Sean had described to police. But to be sure, officers had Sean review a photo lineup, which included an image of Tyree. And within seconds of seeing the lineup, Sean immediately identified the 22-year-old as the man who'd held him and Kathy at gunpoint, and presumably shot his wife. On July 27th, about 12 days after the crime, Chattanooga police arrested Tyree and charged him with felony murder and especially aggravated robbery. A judge set his bond at $1 million. According to court records and police reports, Tyree had previously been arrested in Hamilton County for theft, reckless driving, and domestic aggravated assault for brandishing a firearm on a mother of his child. That domestic assault case was still active and going through the court system and expected to end in a plea agreement when Kathy's murder occurred. When word of Tyree's arrest for Kathy's killing made the news, it relieved some residents because people who frequently visited Renaissance Park were understandably shaken by the crime. One woman told News Channel 9 that the murder was surprising and scary. Another resident said he came to the park on a regular basis, sometimes during the early morning hours. And prior to this crime, he'd never felt unsafe in the area. Other residents were rattled by the fact that Kathy's slaying seemed to be a situation of random violence, and they vowed to not go to the park after midnight in light of what had happened. According to an article by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, there were a total of 25 murders in the city at that point in 2017, including Kathy's murder. The year prior, there had been 22 murders in the city at that point in 2017, including Kathy's murder. So, people were certainly on edge, so to speak, about what seemed to be an uptick in homicides. Unfortunately, though, just a few hours after Tyree's arrest, something unexpected happened. Around 2 o'clock in the afternoon on July 27th, he was found in his jail cell in critical condition. Authorities confirmed that he had attempted to die by suicide, and though he was quickly taken to a local hospital, by the following day, he was declared deceased. Because of that, the murder and robbery charges against him were eventually dropped. Not all hope was lost, though, because, according to Sean, Tyree had provided some useful information to the police before his death. Sean told me that authorities told him, in the hours before Tyree was found in his jail cell, that he'd confessed to his role in Kathy's murder. And he'd named at least one of his accomplices as the Trigger Man. That individual's name was Devante Sadler. Turns out, 21-year-old Devante's picture had been included in the photo lineup that police presented to Sean when he'd picked out Tyree's image. But at the time, Sean was not as sure about Devante as he was about Tyree. Sean told me in our interview that in the moment, he relayed to authorities he recognized Devante's face, and was 70-80% confident he was one of the other men in the trio, but he wasn't absolutely certain. And, of course, he didn't know Devante's name. At that point, he only knew his face. Still, law enforcement followed up on this information, and behind the scenes began looking closely at Devante. Not much about the internal workings of the investigation were discussed publicly, though, which Sean told me in our interview seemed to be a strategic decision made by the police department. Chattanooga's police chief at the time communicated to the press, quote, Thanks to cooperation from community members, Chattanooga police identified and arrested the person responsible. Even though a suspect was charged, investigators continue to work to locate his two accomplices. I understand the lack of information doesn't help calm fears in the community, but eventually it will help CPD and the Hamilton County District Attorney's Office bring the people responsible to justice. End quote. After making those statements, though, the case didn't really go anywhere. No further arrests quickly followed, and about six weeks after the murder, Kathy's body was officially released to her family. That was the first time Sean physically laid eyes on his wife after the crime. The last time he'd seen her was when they were on the pier together, fearing for their lives. At her funeral in Huntsville, her family released 99 red balloons and one white balloon in honor of her favorite song, 99 Red Balloons. Sean told me that when the balloon release happened, all 99 red balloons got stuck in trees, but the single white one drifted off on its own into the sky. Shortly before the one-year anniversary of the murder, the case surged back into the headlines when Tyree Corley's family filed a $700,000 wrongful death and negligence lawsuit in Hamilton County Circuit Court. In that filing, his family claimed that Tyree denied killing Kathy. The lawsuit also stated that jail staff had not properly screened him for mental health conditions when he was taken into custody, and he was not properly monitored. The lawsuit claimed that he had displayed outwardly, signs and indications of suicidal behavior, but jail staff didn't take steps to make sure he wasn't a danger to himself. That lawsuit was eventually dismissed, though, because a judge ruled that Tyree had undergone a medical health screening when he was booked into jail, and there were no apparent failures on the jail's part. About seven months after Tyree's lawsuit was filed, and roughly a year and a half after Kathy was killed, another twist in the case came. When, seemingly out of nowhere, Chattanooga police announced they'd made another arrest. According to coverage by Chattanoogan.com and the Chattanooga Times Free Press, in February 2019, authorities investigating Kathy's murder announced in a press release that they had arrested Devante Sadler and charged him with felony murder and especially aggravated murder. He was charged with aggravated robbery in relation to Kathy's murder. He was 23 years old at the time of his arrest, and the court ordered he be held under what I saw was either a $1 million or $2 million bond. At that point in time, Devante and Tyree were the only named suspects in the case. The third member of the trio that Sean said had attacked him and his wife had not been identified, and I don't know if that's because no one knew who he was, or if perhaps authorities did have his name, but were just keeping his identity close to the vest while they kept investigating. Chattanooga PD didn't respond to my request for comment for this episode, so I'm not sure what exactly was happening behind the scenes. But what I can tell you is that prior to Devante's arrest for Kathy's murder, he had been arrested before in Hamilton County, dating back to 2015. Those arrests were for offenses that included domestic assault, theft, and drug-related crimes. So law enforcement from that area was likely very familiar with him. When Sean learned Devante had been picked up for the murder, he was happy. He was in the middle of mowing grass for his sister-in-law and brother, who he'd moved in with temporarily after Kathy's death, and they called him inside. As soon as Sean saw Devante's picture on the news, he once again recognized him. Two months later, at a preliminary hearing in April 2019, law enforcement revealed more about what they'd done as part of their investigation and the circumstances that led them to arrest Devante. Zach Peterson reported for the Chattanooga Times Free Press that for nearly two years, police had kept tabs on Devante, but were unable to arrest him until they had enough probable cause. An investigator on the case testified at the preliminary hearing that in January 2019, things changed drastically when the police department was called to Devante's mother's house for a domestic incident. According to the investigator's testimony in court, a body-worn camera on an officer who'd responded to that call captured Devante's mother. making a statement that implicated Devante was involved in what had happened to Kathy. So, two days later, the police department got warrants. to arrest Devante. It was also revealed in court that back in 2017, authorities had been able to track the white Dodge Charger that was seen in the surveillance video from after Kathy's murder to a home where Tyree Corley was known to stay. From there, investigators interviewed Tyree and other associates of his, which is seemingly how they learned about Devante. During the preliminary hearing, Sean testified too and went through his painstaking account of what had happened to him and his wife in July, 2017. In his interview with me, Sean explained that it was difficult to be in the same room as his wife's alleged killer, but he testified because he thought it would lead to justice. He maintained during cross-examination that he'd recognized Devante's photo when he was shown a lineup by police, but at the time, the trauma of what had happened to him was still fresh and he could not provide an absolute positive ID. Devante's public defender took issue with Sean's memory, he argued that Sean had likely provided a suggestive ID to police and said that there were several days between when the crime occurred and when Sean saw images of potential suspects. He also argued that Sean didn't confirm Devante's ID with more certainty until about a year and nine months later. Despite all this, when the hearing came to a close, the judge ruled that there was enough probable cause to move forward and send the case to a grand jury. That panel would then decide whether or not to indict Devante, for Kathy's murder and robbery. But that is where the case stalled. No formal indictment came after April 2019 and the case languished. There was no trial and the third unnamed suspect remained at large. Court records show that Devante was released from custody for the murder case at some point, what was later arrested in March of 2023 in an unrelated drug case. According to police reports for that incident, the Hamilton County Narcotic Specialist Investigations Team raided an apartment Devante was staying at in Chattanooga and found drug paraphernalia, firearm magazines, prepaid money cards, and about 88 grams of fentanyl. Devante was charged with felony possession of fentanyl with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell, and felony possession of drug paraphernalia. There is no source material that confirms whether any of the firearm evidence found in that case tied back to Kathy's murder. A representative for the Hamilton County Narcotic Specialist District Attorney's Office confirmed to me that since then, all records related to Devante's charges for Kathy's death are no longer retained by their office because the case has been expunged. When I requested the documents and body cam footage for the January 2019 domestic incident at Devante's mother's house, which seemed to be the catalyst that led to Devante's arrest for Kathy's murder, though it was a completely separate offense, the city denied my records request. In a statement, they explained that Devante's murder and all the information pertaining to it are part of an active and ongoing criminal investigation. At last check, as of the recording of this episode, court records show that Devante's fentanyl possession case has been regularly pushed out on the court's calendar. So, TBD on when that will be resolved. What I'm having a hard time understanding, though, is why the police department won't release information about the January 2019 domestic incident or Devante's alleged involvement in Kathy's murder. If they've expunged the murder charges and the domestic incident situation seems to be over with. These are the questions I wanted to ask the department, but in response to my request for more information, a public information officer for the police department provided me with this statement. Quote, The Chattanooga Police Department's homicide investigators haven't given up on finding the third suspect involved in the 2017 murder of Kathy Hardy. And they won't. They're determined to hold any evidence and keep everyone responsible for Kathy's death accountable. The CPD Homicide Unit has a much higher-than-average clearance rate, which speaks to their commitment to victims and their families, as well as the trust many in the community have in the department. Someone out there has information that could help investigators, and that person can stay completely anonymous by calling the Homicide Tip Line at 423-643-5100. Even a small detail could help. As the case remains open, the Chattanooga Police Department can't share any investigative details at this time. End quote. When I asked the public information officer if CPD could confirm whether Devontae Sadler is a suspect in this case, she responded, quote, Devontae Sadler continues to be regarded as a person of interest in connection with the case, though investigators emphasize that all possible avenues are being explored. End quote. While Devontae's drug case works its way through the court system, Kathy's homicide remains unsolved. And if I haven't harped on this enough, there is another suspect out there. Sean told me that in those first few years, he didn't take good care of himself. He explained to me in his interview that he didn't want to live without Kathy, but he knew he had to stay strong for their two sons. His family members supported him, encouraged him to keep going, and eventually he realized he wanted to honor his wife by living his life and keeping her memory. Today, he works alongside one of his sons doing construction and loves that he gets to spend so much time with them. He says they often cater to his needs and make sure he's doing okay, which is help he accepts, albeit maybe a bit reluctantly. It was apparent to me during our interview that Sean has never gotten over the loss of his wife. He's grappled with survivor's guilt and wishes more could be done to figure out why the assailants targeted him and Kathy that night in July 2017. He was told by the coroner that Kathy's death was likely quick, but that has brought him no peace. He believes that the killers have gotten away with the crime and he's not at a place where he's ready to forgive. And I don't judge him for that. A theory he told me that authorities suggested to him was perhaps the killers didn't make sure he was dead because they likely assumed Sean's fall from the pier killed him. Interestingly, there isn't a ton of news coverage about this case, which I found puzzling. This murder was a case in which Sean's father, was really horrible and it went unsolved fairly quickly. Sean told me that he and his family were told at one point people likely didn't want the story to stay in the headlines because Renaissance Park is a well-known tourist attraction and bad press for the park meant bad press for the city. Whether or not there's any truth to that, I guess depends on which side you see things from. But regardless, the fact remains that the case hasn't gotten much, if any, media attention in the last few years. So it makes sense. It makes me wonder, why? Could it be that there are just no new leads worth local press reporting on? Sure. But what seems more likely to me is that investigators have truly hit a dead end. Sean remains frustrated and angered with the state of his wife's case because he doesn't understand why there seems to be so much evidence to be able to move forward, yet nothing has happened. He told me during his interview that it's been years since he's heard anything from the police department or district attorney's office. He claimed that the police department said the last time he got a call was back in 2019. A few of his family members who live locally have tried to push for more answers or at least get some information about what's going on with the case, but they've been unable to learn anything new. Sean told me that from the very early days of the investigation, officials made him a promise that they would be Kathy's voice and would never give up on her case. But the more time has gone by, the less he believes that's true. He expressed that he genuinely feels law enforcement has gone to sleep on this case. And he wants to get his story out there so that resolution can hopefully come. To this day, Sean says Chattanooga PD still has all of Kathy's clothing, and he hopes they will look at reassessing that evidence. He also hopes that someone listening to this episode will come forward if they know anything that could help investigators. Which is why I encourage all of you, if you were in Renaissance Park in the late evening hours of July 15th, 2017, or the early morning hours of July 16th, or if you were in the early morning hours of July 16th, or if you had conversations with people about this case in the years since, come forward. Please contact Chattanooga Area Crime Stoppers at 423-698-3333 or the Chattanooga Police Department's tip line at 423-643-5100. We have all the source material for this episode on our website, parkpredators.com. And you can also follow Park Predators on Instagram, at parkpredators. I think Chuck would approve. Bark!