Tennessee man tries and fails to get cash from ATM to pay hairstylist, so she allegedly kidnaps him. Then he jumps from the balcony

A routine transaction for hairstyling services in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, turned into an alleged hostage situation involving an armed robbery and a balcony escape. 

Authorities say 19-year-old Makayla Brown was arrested on Oct. 1 and charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery after a 23-year-old customer was allegedly held against his will when he could not pay for his hair styling.

According to Guessing Headlights, the incident began when the customer ran into problems while trying to withdraw cash from an ATM to pay Brown for styling his hair. What started as an issue with the payment quickly became much more serious.

A group allegedly ended up robbing him of his smartphone at gunpoint

According to the Murfreesboro Police Department (MPD), Brown and several unidentified men forced their way into the victim’s vehicle. The group allegedly took control of the vehicle and went with him to several locations as they tried unsuccessfully to get the money.

The repeated attempts to withdraw the cash were unsuccessful. The victim told investigators that Brown and the men then robbed him at gunpoint, taking his smartphone and car keys. He was allegedly forced into an apartment complex on St. Andrews Drive, where he was held against his will.

The man was left without his phone or keys, but he eventually found a way out. According to investigators, the 23-year-old managed to break away from the people holding him inside the apartment and escaped by jumping from an outdoor balcony.

After landing, he ran to a nearby retail store, where he was able to contact emergency services. Local reports from Fox 17 Nashville (WZTV) noted that authorities had not publicly said how high the balcony was or whether the victim needed medical treatment after the fall.

The emergency call brought police to the case, and detectives with the MPD Criminal Investigations Division began working with tactical officers from the department’s Special Operations Unit (SOU). Investigators obtained a search warrant for the St. Andrews Drive apartment and carried it out as they continued looking into the allegations.

During the search, officers recovered two firearms along with the victim’s stolen car keys. The items were taken as evidence as detectives worked to establish what happened inside the apartment and determine who else may have been involved.

Brown was arrested on Oct. 1 and booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. She is facing charges of especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery, with her bond set at $40,000.

Court dockets published by the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal show that Brown’s initial General Sessions Court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 17. She is expected to appear before Judge Ben Hall McFarlin III.

The rest of the group is still at large

Public information officer Larry Flowers said the investigation remains active. The police department’s initial release confirmed that several men allegedly helped Brown follow the victim and force him into the apartment, but their identities and specific roles have not been made public.

That leaves detectives with more people to identify as the investigation continues. Police have indicated that additional arrests and felony charges could follow as investigators work to determine the identities of the other men allegedly involved in the incident.

For now, Brown remains the only person publicly identified as being arrested in connection with the case.