What does it take for a person to be a career criminal? Tony Ray Billings has been arrested 39 times since 1996 and has never spent a day in state prison.

Video: Word On The Street (10/1/07)

The arrest sheets for the 40-year-old Billings read like a telephone book.

He has had nine charges of driver’s law violations, arrested on aggravated assault charges, was a fugitive from justice, accused of the fraudulent use of a credit card, has had six thefts of property he has been accused of, faced four drug charges, two evading arrest charges, two probation violations, two trespassing charges, aggravated robbery and criminal impersonation.

After all of that, now this has occurred:

Two weeks ago, Dot Nickens, 68, was dressing for church in her Goodlettsville home.

Somehow a burglar entered the real estate agent's home and crushed her skull, leaving her near death.

Nickens was rushed to Vanderbilt Hospital in very critical condition while Goodlettsville Police responded to her home.

The officers initially believed the victim had fallen, resulting in all of the blood in the kitchen and bathroom. Her daughters then rushed to the hospital and discovered several wounds to her head that indicated she had not fallen.

Veteran retired Metro Police official Sherman Nickens discovered his ex-wife's car missing from her home.

Three days later, Billings threatened Brandy Wallace with a knife near downtown, removed the money from her purse, and drove away in Nickens’ car.

He was later arrested by Metro Police at a motel and the car was recovered.

Billings claims he knew Nickens' vehicle was stolen and had bought it from someone named "CC.”

The price he bought it for was $100 and some illegal drugs.

Billings was charged with aggravated robbery of Brandy Wallace.

But so far he has only been charged with theft of Nickens' automobile. He has not been charged in connection with the vicious attack of Nickens.

So who attacked Nickens in her home, and why did they take only her car and not cash and her expensive jewelry?

Why is Billings not living a life behind bars?