Kentucky News Now

MISSING PROFESSOR

Remains positively identified as Cincinnati professor

(Information in the following story is from: The Ledger Independent, http://www.maysville-online.com )

FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police say remains found three months ago in northern Kentucky have been positively identified as missing University of Cincinnati adjunct professor Randall Russ.

The Ledger Independent in Maysville reports police said the remains found Oct. 1 in Fleming County were identified using Russ' military records.

Two men have pleaded not guilty to murder, tampering with evidence and theft. Charles Black of Fleming County and Kevin Howard of Owingsville are scheduled for a pretrial hearing Feb. 6 in Fleming County Circuit Court.

Russ was reported missing last summer. His car was found in September at Fort Boonesborough State Park.

Officials said Black led state police officers to the body buried in a shallow grave in the Hillsboro area of Fleming County.

MISSING TEENS-CRIME SPREE

Wanted teen agrees to return to home state of Kentucky

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) — An 18-year-old suspected of committing a string of crimes with his 13-year-old girlfriend is returning to his home state of Kentucky to face charges.

Dalton Hayes and his girlfriend Cheyenne Phillips were arrested early Sunday in Panama City Beach after being found sleeping in a stolen vehicle.

During an early Monday morning court appearance, Hayes agreed to return to Kentucky instead of going through a formal extradition process.

"I'll sign the papers so I can go back to Kentucky," Hayes said during the brief proceeding held via a video link-up between the Bay County Jail and the Bay County Courthouse.

Authorities say Hayes is expected to be charged with burglary, theft, criminal trespassing and criminal mischief.

Phillips will face charges in juvenile court because she is a minor.

TODDLER-TRAIN DEATH

2-year-old dies after being hit by train in western Kentucky

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A 2-year-old western Kentucky boy who was wandering around with a dog a couple of blocks from home has died after they both were hit by a train.

Hopkinsville police spokesman Paul Ray said Trayton Joiner was pronounced dead Monday morning shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

The CSX train's engineer contacted police. Ray said when officers arrived, they had to go door to door to find the child's home. Ray said the boy's mother was located and taken to the hospital where her son was being treated.

Ray said police are still trying to determine why the child was by himself and don't know if the boy may have been following the dog.

Ray said the dog was hurt and is being treated by an animal clinic.

ALISON GRIMES

Grimes campaigns for statewide office, but which one?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes says she will run for statewide office this year.

The former Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate said she has been encouraged to run for governor, attorney general and to seek re-election as secretary of state. Grimes said she has not decided what she will do yet but that she will file for office before the Jan. 27 deadline.

On Monday, Grimes attended the Alpha Phi Alpha Unity Breakfast in Lexington with former state Sen. Georgia Davis Powers. With a photographer for Grimes in tow, the secretary of state worked the room of about 1,500 people before leading the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Freedom March.

Grimes lost a closely watched U.S. Senate race in November to Mitch McConnell, who now leads the new Republican Senate majority.

SISTER KILLED

Judge sets March trial date in girl's slaying

(Information in the following story is from: Kentucky New Era, http://www.kentuckynewera.com )

ELKTON, Ky. (AP) — A judge in western Kentucky has set a date for the retrial of a man charged with killing his 9-year-old sister.

The Kentucky New Era reports Garrett Dye is scheduled to go on trial March 9 in the 2011 fatal beating of his adoptive sister, Amy Dye, whose body was found near the farm where they lived.

A jury convicted Dye of murder, but the Kentucky Supreme Court ordered a new trial after ruling that police coerced a confession from him by repeatedly threatening the then 17-year-old boy with the death penalty. A U.S. Supreme Court decision bars executing anyone who was under the age of 18 when a crime was committed.

The trial judge has ruled that Dye will be tried in Logan County due to pretrial publicity.

ARMY REDUCTIONS

Importance of Fort Campbell meeting stressed

(Information in the following story is from: The Leaf-Chronicle, http://www.theleafchronicle.com )

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Community leaders near Fort Campbell are stressing the importance of a listening session with Army officials that will help decide how many soldiers remain stationed at the sprawling Army post on the Kentucky-Tennessee state line.

Tennessee Sen. Mark Green, who is a veteran, told The Leaf-Chronicle that the Army will be counting heads and the amount of community support will be factor in the decision made.

According to an Army report, the post could lose about half its population, which would have a dramatic effect on the region's economy.

Recent meetings for other Army posts facing cuts have drawn 400-500 people.

The Fort Campbell meeting is being held on Tuesday at the Family Resource Center, which holds 700 people. Community leaders say they want to exceed the building's capacity.

SLAYING INVESTIGATION

Police investigate 'brutal' slaying in western Ky.

(Information in the following story is from: The Gleaner, http://www.thegleaner.com/ )

HENDERSON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police say they are searching for a suspect in the "brutal" slaying of a western Kentucky man.

Police told The Gleaner that troopers found 20-year-old Blake G. Crews inside a residence in Henderson with multiple gunshot wounds to the face. Police spokesman Corey King described the slaying as "brutal in nature."

He said police were originally called to investigate a burglary in process.

King said Crews didn't live at the address and was believed to be house-sitting.

He said investigators are searching for a suspect and a motive. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 270-826-3312 or 1-800-222-5555.