MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a violent robbery and kidnapping that stemmed from a dating app setup in Whitehaven last year.
Dontarrius Lee is facing charges of aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping after allegedly participating in a scheme to lure and rob a man who thought he was meeting a woman through the BLK dating app.
According to Memphis Police, the incident occurred on November 25, 2024, around 1:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of Babs Road.
The victim told officers he had arranged to meet a woman who went by the name “Mesha” on the app. Upon arrival, he parked his Volkswagen Jetta in the driveway and messaged her that he was outside. She responded, telling him to come in and that the door was unlocked.
When the man exited his vehicle, he was suddenly confronted by three armed suspects, one of whom held a handgun to his head. He was forced into the backyard, where he was stripped of his clothing, and the suspects fled the scene with his belongings and vehicle.
Investigators later discovered that similar robberies had occurred at the same address. After further investigation, Dontarrius Lee was identified as one of the suspects and later picked out by the victim in a photo lineup.
Lee was detained on Wednesday and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday at 9 a.m.
