On October 9^th, 2007 at approximately 2100 hrs deputies responded to Blair Ridge regarding an emergency call about a fight and possible fire in a mobile home. Upon arrival deputies did not locate any fire but did locate a blood covered male and female near the roadway. The male, later identified as Jeffrey Ray Tant II (25), and the female, later identified as Amanda Satterfield (22), initially stated to deputies that Tant assaulted a man whom he caught raping Satterfield. Deputies were told the suspect had run into a wooded area near the scene.

Deputies approached Tant and Satterfields mobile home where they saw a large amount of blood on the front porch and then heard moaning from inside the home. Deputies located forty three year old Dusty Petree on the floor in the living area of the mobile home. Petree was covered in blood and had severe trauma and lacerations to his facial area. Lumpkin County Fire and EMS services arrived on scene and Petree was eventually airlifted to Emory Hospital in Atlanta.

The scene was secured and investigators were called in to further investigate the incident. Deputies and investigators interviewed several witnesses from the neighborhood. Tant and Satterfield were later questioned at the Sheriff’s Office and Satterfield admitted to lying about being raped.

The investigation revealed Tant and Satterfield live together along with their two children. Petree had recently moved in with Satterfield and Tant in order to help with the cost of rent. Investigators determined Satterfield and Petree were engaged in sexual intercourse when Tant walked into the residence. Tant began to assault Petree while in the residence and Petree then stumbled out the front door, falling on the porch. Tant continued to beat and kick Petree while he was lying on the porch. Tant then drug Petree back into the residence in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime and further corroborate his girlfriend’s claim of rape. Tant also hit Satterfield several times during the altercation but her injuries were minor.

Investigators also determined the two children, ages two and four, were sleeping in a bedroom of the residence when the incident occurred. Both children were taken to a neighbor’s house just prior to law enforcement arriving on scene. The Department of Family and Children Services was called to the scene regarding the placement of the children.

An investigator obtained a search warrant for the residence while two more investigators traveled to Emory Hospital in Atlanta to check the current status of Petree and to obtain further photographs of the injuries. Trained Crime Scene Technicians meticulously examined the blood spattered home and collected samples in an effort to recreate the incident.

Tant admitted to assaulting Petree and was charged with aggravated battery and aggravated assault. Tant was also charged with a separate count of battery for his assault on Satterfield. Petree received multiple facial fractures and lacerations that may require extensive plastic surgery to correct. As of October 10^th, Emory Hospital listed Petree as being in stable condition.

Tant is currently being held at the Lumpkin County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing by a superior court judge. A photograph of Tant is shown below.

Captain Jason Stover

Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office