Vandalism charges were filed Tuesday against a woman suspected of spray-painting graffiti on the walls of the state Capitol.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol issued an arrest warrant for Barbara Ann Smith, 37, who is jailed in Rutherford County on charges of vandalizing government property near the Murfreesboro public square. Murfreesboro police said Smith took responsibility for the vandalism at both places.
“I am proud of the work our Criminal Investigation Division put into this case. Initially, there was not much information to go on, but they followed up several leads and, ultimately, solved the case,” Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons said.
In the early morning hours of June 19, state troopers on duty at the state Capitol discovered graffiti spray painted on the exterior walls of the building. The graffiti included hand-drawn pentagrams and the words “RIP TONY AL” and “WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE” spray painted in black. Surveillance video showed a hooded suspect near the scene.
“The state Capitol is the people’s house, and the c’s Capitol Security Unit is committed to securing it. We have taken increased steps to help ensure the safety of the building and those who work and visit there,” Gibbons added.