WKDP – WCTT Local News

A death investigation is underway after a couple was found dead inside a Corbin home Thursday.

The man and woman were found dead inside a rental property on Florida Avenue Thursday morning.

According to the News Journal, the Whitley County Coroner saw no obvious wounds or cause of death.

Gas company officials, police, and members of the Corbin Fire Department were on the scene most of the day Thursday.

Officials have not released the victims’ names pending family notification. 

The bodies have been sent to Frankfort for an autopsy.

The Laurel County Sheriff’s Department is investigating after an armed robbery at Mac’s Fillin Station off U.S. 25.

It happened just after 9 p.m. Thursday night.

Officials say a masked man armed with a knife robbed a lone attendant of an undisclosed amount of cash then fled the scene

The man is described as a white man around 5’10 with a thin build. He was wearing a camouflaged hooded jacket, blue jeans, and dark shoes with white soles. 

Officials say he got away in a white car toward Knox County.

The description of the suspect is similar to that of a man who robbed a tobacco store in Barbourville earlier in the week.  The store was robbed at knife point by a man who was also described as a white male, around 5’10″, wearing a camoflauge jacket and mask.

Anyone with information about the robberies should contact the proper authorities.

A man was found shot to death inside a home in Arjay Thursday morning.

Bell County Sheriff’s Deputies were on routine patrol when they spotted a fire at  home on Roth Camp along KY 66. 

Inside, they found the body of 39-year-old Jimmy Carnes dead from an apparent gunshot wound.

Carnes’ father told police that he had been receiving death threats.  Police say three separate fires were found burning inside the home, and a shotgun was found close to the body.

Carnes’ body was taken to the Frankfort for an autopsy.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Department is investigating after an armed robbery at a tobacco store earlier this week.

It happened Monday at the Tobacco Stop Outlet on U.S. 25 E in Barbourville.

Knox County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene after a masked man armed with a butcher knife entered the store and demanded money.   The clerk told police he fled the scene in a new model silver car toward KY 1304.

The suspect is described as a white male around 5’10, wearing a camouflage jacket and mask. 

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the Knox County Sheriff’s office at 606-546-3181.

A vote that would allow packaged alcohol sales in Corbin will likely take place Feb. 21.

A total of 692 signatures were collected and certified from Knox and the Whitley County side of Corbin; that’s nearly 300 more than were needed to place the measure on the ballot,

If passed, Corbin would likely be allowed to issue three licenses to stores to sell package liquor of any type, and an unlimited number of licenses could be issued to grocery and convenient stores for the sale of beer.  Restrictions on sales of alcohol at restaurants would also become more lax if the measure passes.

The Whitley County clerk plans to ask the Judge-Executive for a special election on Feb. 21, but says that could change if Williamsburg files their alcohol petition within the next few days.

County officials say having both elections on the same day would save the county money.

Twenty arrest warrants were obtained in Jackson County Wednesday following a year-long investigation into drug trafficking, mainly involving the illegal sale of Hydrocodone, Oxycodone and Suboxone.

Law enforcement officers from five agencies began serving the warrants Wednesday morning; by that afternoon, officers had arrested 17 of the suspects.

Law enforcement officers continue their search for the three remaining suspects.

The following were arrested during Wednesday’s roundup:

• Ricky Abner, 48, U.S. 421, Sand Gap, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Robert Adkins, 49, Adkinstown Road, McKee, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and persistent felony offender. In addition, Adkins was arrested by the Two Rivers Task Force after a large quantity of pills and cash were found at his residence during the roundup.

• Danny Bowles, 33, Sand Gap, two counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Juanita Caldwell, 26, Jackson Valley Apartments, McKee, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school.

• Georgia May Clemons, 55, Clemons Road, Sand Gap, four counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Chester Collett, 66, Doolittle Road, Annville, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Adam Shane Gabbard, 26, Farmer Cemetery Road, McKee, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Jeannie Johnson, 39, U.S. 421, McKee, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• William Kirby, 35, Kirby Road, Sand Gap, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Tommy Lakes, 23, Upper Dry Fork Road, Sand Gap, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Lana Mays, 21, Jackson Valley Apartments, McKee, two counts first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and two counts trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school.

• Mark McGeorge, 35, Jackson Valley Apartments, McKee, two counts second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school.

• Bradley Muncy, 32, Jackson Valley Apartments, McKee, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school.

• Judy Robbins, 49, Roberts Court Apartments, McKee, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

• Jesse William Smith, 19, Jackson Valley Apartments, McKee, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school.

• Tammy Spurlock, 33, Brushy Ridge Road, McKee, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and persistent felony offender.

• Cloyd Young, 50, McKee, second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

In addition, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Micky Doan of Annville on drug-trafficking charges.

Two people were arrested in Laurel County Wednesday on indictment warrants for manufacturing meth.

The Laurel County Sheriff’s Department arrested 32-year-old Jamie Riley and 28-year-old Alicia Grubb, both of Manchester, on charges of first offense manufacturing methamphetamine.

Riley was also charged with second-degree Persistent Felony Offender.

Both were lodged in the Laurel County jail.

Corbin city leaders announced a new city manager Wednesday.

63-year-old Michael Phillips was named City Manager by a unanimous vote during a special called meeting.  He replaces former City Manager Bill Ed Cannon, who resigned in August after serving 12 years in the position.

Phillips is a native of Greeneville, SC and has experience as an administrator for cities and counties in both Georgia and South Carolina.

He was chosen over 65 other applicants.

He will officially step into the role on Tuesday.  Commissioners agreed to pay him $75,000 annually and he will receive the standard benefits package for city employees.

State police say they had to deploy a taser on a suspected drunk driver after a crash in Laurel County.

A KSP trooper responded to a single vehicle accident Tuesday night on the Hal Rogers Parkway where they found 41-year-old John Nolan of Richmond in the driver’s seat, still belted in.

While trying to help Nolan out of the vehicle, the trooper noticed a strong smell of alcohol.

When he asked Nolan to perform a sobriety test, Nolan spit at and grabbed the trooper, leading to a brief struggle.

The trooper then deployed his taser at Nolan to get him under control. 

Nolan was charged with Possession of Open Alcoholic Beverage Container, Menacing, Resisting Arrest, Failure to Produce Insurance Card, Driving on DUI Suspended License and DUI 4^th Offense.

Nolan was also served with two outstanding bench warrants.  He was lodged in the Laurel County jail.

A Knox County man is behind bars after police find several working meth labs inside his home.

Officers arrived at the home in Flatlick around 9:30 Wednesday night after while responding to a complaint of drug activity.

There, they found four active one step meth labs and the materials needed to start several others.

Officers arrested 20-year-old Shawn Honeycutt on several charges. 

Clean-up crews were called to the scene to safely dispose of the chemicals.