Before the end of the year, a Limestone County grand jury may hear the case against three men charged with kidnapping, robbing and assaulting a 71-year-old Limestone County couple.

The accused are Joshua Ray Cowan, 26, of 16240 Cannon Road in Elkmont; Damien Lamar Mitchell, 19, of 500 Elkton St. in Athens; and Mario Lamar Taylor, 19, of Lot C-4, Blackburn Trailer Park, U.S. 72 West in Athens. They are charged with first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree kidnapping and two counts of second-degree assault.

The three men, wearing handcuffs and dressed in grey-and-white-striped jumpsuits, appeared Tuesday afternoon at the Limestone County Courthouse before District Judge Jerry Batts, who appointed attorneys for them. Each waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Limestone County District Attorney Kristi Valls will present the case  against the men to an upcoming grand jury. Jurors will decide whether there is adequate evidence to formally charge the men.

They remain in the Limestone County Jail with bail set at $1.55 million each.

The crime

Shirley and Charlotte Haney were sleeping in their South Limestone County home Oct. 12 when two men wearing Halloween masks awakened them about 1 a.m., investigators said. The men pulled the Haneys, both 71, out of their bed, beat them on their heads and faces and forced them into a farm office in the backyard. One of the men held a knife to Charlotte’s throat and threatened to kill the couple unless she opened the safe.

Charlotte told the men she could not recall the combination. She told investigators she was struck in the back of the head with a hard object each time she tried to speak. Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely, who was in the courtroom Tuesday, said at the time of the suspects’ arrests that the couple was pistol-whipped.

After shoving the couple into a bathroom and blocking the door with a desk, the suspects fled with at least $1,000 in cash and two handguns, authorities said.

Lt. Brad Curnutt, who was also in the courtroom Tuesday, said at the time of the suspects’ arrests that Taylor is suspected of driving the getaway car and dropping Cowan and Mitchell at Jones Cross Roads, where he later picked them up.

Although Chief Deputy Randy King would not say what led investigators to the three suspects, he did say Cowan had once done some home repair work for the couple.

Within 24 hours of the attack, Taylor was arrested during a traffic stop, Mitchell was arrested at his home in Oakleaf Apartments, and Cowan was arrested while walking behind Bethlehem Church off Nuclear Plant Road. Investigators recovered two handguns and a shotgun, which had been hidden in the Clements community.

Mitchell is eligible to post bail. Taylor has a second-degree assault charge pending for allegedly striking an Athens Police officer and Cowan has a second-degree theft charge pending and he failed to appear for a June court hearing.