The wife of a former Coffee County sheriff’s deputy is behind bars after authorities say she and another individual confessed to a conspiracy to murder her husband.
49-year-old Cindy Youngblood and 24-year-old Reggie Lockhart are currently in the Coffee County Jail without bond after authorities determined the two conspired to kill 51-year-old Anthony Youngblood.
The arrests stem from an investigation that began last Thursday, Aug. 11, when sheriff’s deputies responded to a location off Harvey Smith Rd. after receiving a 911 call from a female who advised Mr. Youngblood was at her home stating a black male subject had shot at him. When deputies arrived, Mr. Youngblood stated the assailant, who appeared to be in his 30’s with a full beard, had shot at him once with what he believed to be a revolver. Youngblood added the man had been hiding in a utility building on Youngblood’s property when he appeared, authorities stated.
Sheriff’s officials added the victim went on to state he had initially walked outside after receiving a call from Cindy Youngblood, who asked him to go into the yard to look for an item she believed may had fallen from her vehicle.
Sheriff’s investigators state they were able to link Cindy Youngblood and Lockhart through a series of personal communications between the two and testimony provided by other sources that lead authorities to the discovery of the murder conspiracy against Mr. Youngblood.
The two suspects were detained and, during interrogation, each confessed to participating in a plot to kill Mr. Youngblood, officials say.
Cindy Youngblood has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and Lockhart has been charged with aggravated assault and second degree burglary. The case remains ongoing.
Anthony Youngblood is former deputy with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. He left the office in 2009.
“This was a senseless act, and getting these two individuals off the streets will no doubt ensure the victim’s future safety,” Sheriff Doyle Wooten stated. “I understand there has been a great deal of public interest in this case and, although we work hard to provide information to the media in a timely manner, the safety of the public and the integrity of our investigations must always come first. I’m grateful for the tenacity shown by our investigators in resolving this case quickly.”
Reggie Lockhart