Triple Homicide in PRP

I’ve blogged extensively on the various Kentucky homicide charges.  In a recent news story regarding a triple homicide in Pleasure Ridge Park, the defendant may be subject to the death penalty.  He allegedly shot 3 people, while 2 children were in the next room.  The children were found in the home.  Investigators believe the crime happened a day or more before the bodies were discovered.

Many murder charges end up being pled down to manslaughter and other lesser offenses.  The prosecution has the burden of proving the defendant intended to kill his/her victim, at the time of the homicide, beyond a reasonable doubt.  This question of intent can be the pivotal point in securing a conviction for murder.

In this case, the defendant allegedly shot the mother of his daughter along with the other two people who appear to be family members or the mother.  He then took his daughter from the home and traveled to Florida.  He was recently arrested in Florida and will be returned to Kentucky.

At the time of the arrest, the man was found with a bullet-proof vest and AK-47.  Reports are unclear as to whether the AK-47 was used to commit the triple homicide in PRP.

I’m not involved in this case, so I’m looking at it based on the publicly available information.  Here are a few interesting facts to consider:

• The prosecution can decide to interview the children regarding the events at the time of the homicide. Although it’s important to remember that the stress and trauma of the crime may obviously impact the recollections of the children.
• Police and investigators were able to arrest the man by locating and tracking his On-Star signal. They may be able to use that data to prove the man had been at the home during or around the time of the homicide.  This is typical of the tremendous value of forensic evidence.
• Prosecutors will search the defendant’s social media accounts to look for postings related to the escalation and ultimate homicide. They’ll do the same with the social media accounts of the deceased, if they can be accessed.

It’s not often that a triple homicide occurs.  When it does, the prosecutors know the case will become a high-profile situation.  They’re going to put every effort into securing a conviction.  In this situation, they’re still deciding if they should pursue the death penalty.  There are a number of factors that will be involved in that decision, but that’s a blog for another day.

If you need an experienced Louisville criminal defense attorney, I handle cases across the state of Kentucky.  You can contact my office via my website, or call me at (502) 589-6916.