MARION — On July 10 at 7:01 a.m., deputies from the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported vehicle burglary in the 2900 block of Nielson Crossing Road, just south of Marion. The victim reported that a handgun had been stolen from their vehicle.
Detectives quickly arrived at the scene to assist in the investigation. Approximately an hour later, at 8:03 a.m., a suspicious male was reported near Grassy Road, about 1.5 miles from the burglary location. A female caller said the man had been “messing around” on her property before walking onto the roadway heading west.
Deputies located the man, identified as Matthew C. Rodier, and observed him place an object on the ground when he spotted law enforcement. Rodier was detained, and the object was recovered — it was the stolen handgun, loaded with a round in the chamber.
Further investigation revealed Rodier had an active Williamson County arrest warrant for failure to appear on methamphetamine possession charges. Rodier, a convicted felon with a history of violent felonies and drug offenses, was taken into custody without incident.
Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich praised the coordinated efforts of the community and deputies, saying, “This case highlights the critical importance of community reporting, rapid response by our Deputies, and strong investigative teamwork. Thanks to these efforts, a stolen and loaded firearm was quickly recovered, and a repeat offender was safely apprehended.”
Rodier was booked into Williamson County Jail and faces multiple felony charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender (Class X felony), possession of a stolen firearm (Class 2 felony), burglary (Class 2 felony), unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon (Class 2 felony), and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon (Class 4 felony).
