Witness in Houston trial charged with kidnapping

A high-profile witness in the Houston brothers murder trials is in serious trouble with the law himself.

Tobey Truman Yates, 35, of Ten Mile, was charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault and simple possession on Dec. 28 after allegedly holding a woman captive for two days.

Yates is scheduled to appear in court on the charges in February.

The woman’s mother, Teresa Wiest, contacted authorities.

“She advised that Tobey Yates has beaten her daughter with hoses, chained her to a chair with battery cables, and her daughter’s legs are bruised and beaten,” the report said.

Roane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 233 Dogtown Road to investigate. They didn’t find Yates or the alleged victim, but “observed multiple syringes throughout the residence.”

The report also said Deputy Mitch Grigsby detected an odor believed to be methamphetamine.

“While securing the residence the complainant, Teresa Wiest, arrived on scene and advised that her daughter and Tobey Yates were at 133 Ponders Gap Road,” the report said.

Deputies found Yates and the alleged victim, Jackie Wiest, there.

“Jackie stated ‘He held and beat me for two days,’” the report said. “She did show us severe bruising on her legs. I observed multiple severe bruises on her thighs and hips.”

The report said Jackie Wiest also said  Yates beat her with a rubber hose.

Yates was arrest for aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping.

Police also reported finding a container with 2.5 round blue pills labeled 2684, which match the description of the narcotic diazepam.

Yates testified during the murder trials of brothers Rocky and Leon Houston.

The Houstons were accused of orchestrating an ambush that took the lives of Roane County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Jones and his ride-along Mike Brown.

The Houstons claimed they killed the men in self defense.

Yates was present during the shootout and testified that the first shots came from Jones’ patrol car.  

Leon Houston’s first trial ended in a hung jury. He was acquitted during a second trial in November 2009.

A state appeals court ruled that an error made by the judge during Rocky Houston’s trial in December 2008 barred him from being tried again.