Thanks to Tom Smith, Times Daily
LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. — The victim of a brutal assault has died and the two teenagers accused of being involved could now face murder charges, authorities said Thursday.

Lawrenceburg Police Chief Terry Shay said 52-year-old Jerry Morgan died Wednesday at a Nashville hospital from injuries he sustained when he was robbed and beaten nearly six weeks ago.

Morgan, who lived at 144 Fred St. in Lawrenceburg, had been hospitalized since the attack on Jan. 6.

Shay said two teenagers — Bobby Reynolds and Corey Byrd, both 18 and from Lawrenceburg, have been in the Lawrence County Jail since they were arrested on robbery charges in connection with the case.

They are each being held with bail set at $200,000

Now, an additional charge could be added, authorities said.

“We’re now consulting with (Lawrence County) District Attorney General Mike Bottoms about this case to prepare additional charges against the two suspects,” Shay said.

Shay said the additional charge would likely be first-degree murder. No other charges had been filed against the men as of late Thursday.

“This is a very serious case, and we’re treating it that way,” Shay said.

Bottoms said the decision had not been made on whether to seek a warrant for the first-degree murder charge or to allow a grand jury to determine if the charge should be upgraded.

Since the men are still in jail on charges of especially aggravated robbery, it’s likely the case will be sent to a grand jury. That could happen during the upcoming grand jury session in March.

Especially aggravated robbery carries a punishment of 15-25 years in prison, if convicted.

A person convicted of first-degree murder faces punishment of life in prison, life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

Shay said officers responded to Morgan’s residence just after 1 p.m. on Jan. 6 to investigate a report of an injured person.

“When we got there, officers found that Mr. Morgan had been assaulted and robbed,” the chief said.

The chief said only a small number of items were taken during the robbery.

Reports indicate that Morgan was taken to Crockett Hospital in Lawrenceburg after the attack and later transferred to a Nashville hospital.

“This was senseless, a very brutal case,” Bottoms said.