An indictment has been handed down in the murder case of former Evarts mayor Ronnie King.
Shelby Lee Shell, 29, of Berea, was formally indicted on charges related to the murder.
Kentucky State Police Det. Mike Cornett, who is in charge of the investigation, said Shell was served at the Harlan County Detention Center.
“The case was presented to the grand jury on Monday and they returned an indictment,” said Cornett. “A warrant was executed on Shell at the Harlan County Detention Center on Tuesday.”
Cornett said Shell’s bond is $1,000,000.
According to Cornett, Shell was indicted on one count of capital murder. Shell was also indicted for first-degree robbery, tampering with physical evidence, first-degree burglary, kidnapping, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, persistent felony offender and second-degree arson.
Trooper Jimmy Halcomb served the warrant.
Previous reports state King was found dead in his home on Feb. 18 when his brother, Jerome King, entered his brother’s house after seeing smoke. He found his brother dead inside the residence.
The Evarts Fire Department and Kentucky State Police were then called to the scene.
Harlan County Coroner Phillip Bianchi sent the body to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy. The autopsy determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound.
In other police news:
* Connie Jenkins, 55, of Cumberland, was arrested by the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday and charged with first-degree assault and two counts of first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or under.
According to the indictment, Jenkins aided or counseled Randy Hammons as he intentionally caused serious physical injury to a child on or about March 19 to on or about March 25.
Hammons was arraigned recently for first-degree assault, two counts of first-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12 and first-degree unlawful imprisonment, according to previous reports.
Jenkins was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond requiring 10 percent cash;
* Rhonda Helton, 31, of Evarts, was arrested Tuesday by the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office on charges of tampering with physical evidence, first-degree promoting contraband, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, failure of owner to maintain required insurance, improper equipment, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and disregarding a stop sign.
Helton was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.
Reach Joe P. Asher at 606-573-4510, ext. 113, jasher@civitasmedia.com
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