Circuit Judge Jamus Redd, Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins and the defense team of Jonathan McCoy have several litigious matters to navigate — before all parties potentially enter into a trial next Monday for charges pending in Lyon County.
Among those concerns: whether this trial happens either before, or after, McCoy and possible accomplice Keisha Stewart stand before a jury in February 2025 for the 2020 murder, and related offenses, of Trigg County’s Thelma “Ileen” Barnett.
In preparation for a capital hearing, and in Trigg County’s Circuit Court Wednesday morning, McCoy’s representation of Wesley Boyarski, Christy Hiance and Rick Lawniczak renewed their motion to continue this trial — offering to alternatively submit an offer of proof, ex parte and a proposed avowal if the hearings weren’t held in a preferred order.
Ovey-Wiggins disagreed.
All parties are expected to reconvene at noon Friday in Eddyville, in which this — along with an evidentiary suppression hearing of Lyon County Sheriff Brent White — will help expedite a Redd decision.
Redd did generally grant an overarching motion to enforce a prior suppression order that was entered into the Barnett case in July 2023, with Ovey-Wiggins issuing her office had no choice but to abide.
Hiance, meanwhile, mentioned a September 16, 2020, interview between a trooper and Michael Craig Williams, in which Lyon County law enforcement continued an investigation of an abandoned, burned truck that led to the indictment of McCoy and Williams for complicity to receiving stolen property, and complicity to arson second degree.
McCoy, and all other parties, are expected back for a pretrial conference August 14, in order to discuss the Trigg County charges.
Trigg County Charges
MURDER
KIDNAPPING-VICTIM DEATH
ARSON, 2ND DEGREE
TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
ABUSE OF CORPSE
BURGLARY, 1ST DEGREE
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TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – BUY/POSSESS
POSS CONT SUB, 1ST DEGREE, 1ST OFF (METHAMPHETAMINE)
*OBS* INT DEFRAUD/SCHEME/ARTIFICE OBTAIN BENEFITS >$10,000
DISPLAY OF ILLEGAL/ALTERED REGISTRATION PLATE
Lyon County Charges
COMP *OBS* RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY U/$10,000
COMP ARSON, 2ND DEGREE
