28-year-old Opito Otim was involved in the robbery of Samuel Benson on July 10th. Benson contacted law enforcement and told them about the incident. Carrie Coble messaged him on the day of the incident, asking for money. Benson agreed to meet with her at a residence on Mimosa Drive at around 4 a.m. Once Benson arrived, Coble was already outside waiting for him. As they were talking, Coble got out of Benson’s car and went to a different residence on Mimosa Drive to use the restroom. Benson noted that when Coble exited the vehicle, he heard a child crying. After a brief moment, Coble returned to the car, asked for and received $20 from Benson. Once again, Coble left the vehicle, but this time, Benson observed someone approaching him from the rearview mirror on his driver’s side. After looking down at his phone, Benson was struck with the butt of a shotgun by Otim.
Another individual, Michael McCormick, approached the passenger side of Benson’s car, opened the door, and pistol-whipped Benson while saying, ” Where is it at? Give me everything, we know you know where it’s at.” Once Benson told McCormick he didn’t have anything, McCormick continued attacking him. McCormick told Benson, “I’ll shoot you right now,” then made Benson exit his car and empty his pockets. Benson exited his vehicle and gave McCormick $3. McCormick said to Benson, “All you got is $3?” then rummaged through Benson’s car while Otim pointed a shotgun at Benson. After McCormick went through Benson’s vehicle, he pointed his gun at him and said, “Get the fuck in the car and leave.” Benson left and then went to the McDonalds on Nolensville Pike to call law enforcement. In all, McCormick took Benson’s two phones and his wallet with his debit, credit, DoorDash, and Uber Pro cards. McCormick took these, Benson’s driver’s license, and $3. Officers arrived at the Vanderbilt Medical Center due to Benson being transported there for his injuries. Benson’s injuries include a traumatic hematoma knot to his forehead with a laceration, a laceration on his nose, and bruising all over his phone.
On July 21st, officers received voicemails from Benson’s mother, a family friend of Benson’s and Coble’s father. They all advised that Benson and Coble knew each other and believed that Coble was involved in the robbery. Officers later spoke with Coble’s ex-boyfriend and Benson’s best friend, Hunter Thomas. Thomas stated that he found out about the robbery from multiple people and thought Coble might be involved or know about it. Later that day, there was a domestic violence call at the same residence on Mimosa Drive involving McCormick and Coble. A South Patrol Seargent who was on the scene of the domestic violence call was notified of the robbery that officers were investigating. Officers positively identified Otim and McCormick as the individuals involved in the robbery. Otim was then detained so officers could interview him about the robbery.
When officers arrived, they spoke with Coble. Coble stated that she messaged Benson and told him that she needed money. She went on to tell officers that once she got into the car with Benson, he tried to get her to perform sexual acts on him. Coble went on to say that she heard her son crying, so she went to be with him. Coble shared that she didn’t see Otim or McCormick go outside, nor did she witness the robbery. However, she stated that Otim and McCormick did tell her about it after they had done it. Coble noted that she never knew that Otim and McCormick would rob Benson before it happened. Officers then read Otim his Miranda Rights, and he agreed to speak with them. Otim said that McCormick told him that Coble had someone pull up to get money from him. According to Otim, McCormick told Coble,” When you go to the car we will come out.” After Coble went outside, McCormick told him to go outside with him and handed him a shotgun. As McCormick and Coble approached the car, Coble got out, and Otim pointed the shotgun at Benson. He stated the McCormick went inside Benson’s car, pistol whipped him, and then told him, “Give me everything you got.”
Otim went on to repeat Benson’s version of events, with the only difference being that he “accidentally” hit Benson in the face with the shotgun. In addition, Otim stated that McCormick gave Coble the credit cards and phones they took from Benson, hoping she could do something with them. During an arrest search, a phone was found on Otim. He told officers that it was his phone but later took back his statement when officers asked to see it. Further investigation revealed that it was Benson’s phone. Otim was taken into custody for especially aggravated robbery on July 21st.
Opito Tom Otim was booked into the Metro Nashville Jail on July 20th, charged with aggravated robbery. A judicial commissioner set his bond at $75,000.
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