Rage : The Story of Michelle Reynolds

The city of Rome, Georgia, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains and occupying the administrative center of Floyd County, is not known for its production of nation-wide news. Indeed, to the outside observer, the city (home to 36,000) would likely appear as nondescript as any mid-sized, somewhat detached American city would be. As the nation would discover in mid-2004, however; even places like Rome can produce a scene of such horror as to grip a country by the hair, gluing its citizens to their TV screens.

On the morning of July 5, 2004, an employee of Rome’s Frito-Lay distribution center was pulling into work when he noticed a man standing by the doorway. The employee initially thought nothing of the stranger, since workers commonly arrived at the center during dawn hours. After a moment, however, it became clear that the man standing by the doorway was visibly nervous, and he made a hasty exit. Naturally, the witness entered the building to see what the stranger had been up to. What he found was the body of Thad John Glenn Reynolds, 36 years old. He was stabbed a total of 19 times and was left for dead.

The ensuing media coverage and police investigation shook Rome to its core. Thad John Glenn Reynolds, Frito-Lay’s district manager for the Rome/Cartersville area was, by virtually all accounts, an inordinately kind-hearted, gentle, caring person, who also happened to serve as church deacon. It was natural for anyone following the story to question motive, and of course to convey their sympathies to the victim’s family members. That’s where things take a turn deeper into the dark.