|
Cops say man murdered grandparents' neighbor
 | | JONATHAN MARLOW |
|
A preliminary hearing will be held this week to determine whether a murder charge against a 22-yearold Letcher County man will be referred to a grand jury for further action.
Jonathan Keith Marlow, 22, of Partridge, is scheduled to appear in Letcher District Court at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Marlow is charged with murder in connection with the June 14 death of 72-year-old Hobert Elkins, also of Partridge.
Elkins was found dead in his home late last Thursday after Marlow told a relative he had killed the man and was leaving for Lexington.
A log in the Letcher County Sheriff's Department indicates that the relative called police at 10:15 p.m. on June 14 to report that Marlow, of Delta Drive in Partridge, was in his grandparents' house on Elkins Branch stealing items which he could later sell.
The relative made another call to the sheriff's office at 10:54 p.m. to report that Marlow had just called and said he had killed Elkins, who lived next door to his grandparents. The relative said Marlow was heading toward Lexington in an old blue and white Chevrolet pick-up truck he had stolen from Elkins.
Letcher County Coroner John Cornett pronounced Elkins dead at the scene at 1:43 a.m. on June 15. The cause of death is listed as multiple stab wounds. Elkins was murdered after Marlow entered Elkins's residence to rob him. After the truck was found abandoned, police found Marlow at another residence in Letcher County and arrested him without incident and charged him with murder, firstdegree burglary and first-degree robbery.
Marlow, who could be sentenced to death if he is later found guilty of the crimes, is being held without bond in the Letcher County Jail.
Kentucky State Police Detective Randy Combs is directing the investigation. Combs is being assisted by Detective Clayton Stamper and Detective Chris Collins.
Funeral services for Elkins were held June 17 in Benham. Burial was in the Maggard Cemetery at Partridge.
Born in Letcher County, he was a son of the late Granville and Nannie Hall Elkins, and the widower of Loretta Johnson Elkins. He was a brother of the late Robert Elkins, Herbert Elkins, Elvin Elkins, Conley Elkins, and Ruth Elkins.
Suviving are a brother, Albert Elkins, Abingdon, Va., and a sister, Mae Fields of Partridge.
| 
