Convicted Felon Pleas to Attempted Murder of Two Deputies

A convicted felon who fired a handgun at two Rutherford County Sheriff’s deputies is now serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Mason Deforrest, 25, of Richland Road near Murfreesboro was charged with attempted murder of Lt. Kenneth Barrett and Cpl. Nick Coble last October. Deforrest pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first-degree murder Aug. 1 in Circuit Court after Assistant District Attorney Shawn Puckett and Assistant Public Defender J.D. Driver worked out a plea agreement. Circuit Court Judge David Bragg sentenced Deforrest to 20 years in prison.

At the time, the deputies spotted Deforrest driving Oct. 18 on Old Woodbury Highway and followed him because they knew he was wanted for felony violation of community corrections. The suspect saw the deputies, parked his car and ran across a field. The deputies drove into the field chasing him.  “As we closed in, he pulled a pistol and leveled it at us and fired numerous shots while running across the field,” Lt. Barrett said. Deputy Coble said he prepared to defend himself but Deforrest took off running, then tossed the pistol. “He ran into the edge of my car and fell in front of it,” Deputy Coble said. “He put his hands atop his head and was taken into custody.”

Lt. Barrett said Deforrest allegedly threatened law enforcement officers and state probation and parole officers recently in numerous comments on social media. “There were pictures of him holding a weapon,” Lt. Barrett said. “The gun located at the scene was identified as the weapon seen on Facebook.”

The pistol was stolen from Maryland. Deputies recovered a knife in his pants pocket. Detective Richard Brinkley charged Deforrest with attempted murder, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and reckless endangerment. The other charges were dismissed as part of the plea.