Couple says deputies unlawfully broke into their home

JONESBORO, Ga. — A husband and wife are livid, saying that sheriff's deputies barged into their home, handcuffed them and pointed guns at them.

The couple was shocked at what deputies said made them suspects in a home invasion in another county.

"I thought that my life was going to end that night," Willie Evans said to Channel 2's Tom Jones.

"If we had made one wrong move, I know what would have happened," Catherine Evans said.

They are talking about a frightening encounter at their home near Jonesboro Friday. That's when dozens of Fayette County deputies, assisted by Clayton County Police, stormed their home and detained them while they searched for items stolen from a home invasion in Fayette County.

The Evans said when they heard a loud boom, they thought it was burglars breaking in. That's when they noticed all the officers with their guns pointed at them.

"And I looked up and I told them, 'Please don't kill me,'" Willie Evans said.

The couple said deputies told them video surveillance showed Catherine driving out of the subdivision where the home invasion occurred around the time it took place.

Evans said she had dropped off a workout partner who lives there and had been in and out of the subdivision all week.

Still, she wonders how deputies could get a search warrant and barge into her home just because they saw her leaving the subdivision.

"That didn't give them a reason to come over here and do what they did," Catherine Evans said.

After spending a couple of hours searching every inch of the home, deputies found none of the stolen items.

According to the couple, that's when police said they believed their story that they weren't involved.

Fayette County Sheriff Barry Babb didn't want to comment on camera. He released a statement saying probable cause existed enough for a judge to sign the search warrant.

Babb said investigators did determine the Evans were not involved in the home invasion and no arrests were made.

According to Babb, his department is paying for the nearly $2,000 in damage done to the home. And he said his investigators apologized to the Evans.

They say that never happened.

"No apology. Just cleared up and left the scene," Willie Evans said.

Babb said the car stolen during the home invasion was discovered in Clayton County. He said the two male suspects remain on the loose.

"No apology. Just cleared up and left the scene," Willie Evans said.

Babb said the car stolen during the home invasion was discovered in Clayton County. He said the two male suspects remain on the loose.

WSBTV