Conrad pleads not guilty in shooting
By Kat Russell, Reporter
The Paducah Sun
June 26, 2015
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/062615_PS_Conrad_Arraignment
Charged in the shooting death of a Benton man at a Reidland storage unit earlier this month, Jeffrey Conrad, 49, stood in McCracken Circuit Court on Thursday morning and entered a plea of not guilty.
A union contractor in Benton, Conrad was indicted for murder by a McCracken grand jury June 9 after he fatally shot Garlon Casey Cox, 30, in the head during a confrontation at AAA Mini-Storage on Eagles Nest Drive.
According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Department, Conrad had gone to his storage unit around 7 a.m. the morning of the incident and caught Cox and another man, Brandon York, 36, of Benton, taking items from his storage unit and getting into a red Ford Ranger pickup truck.
McCracken Sheriff Jon Hayden said Conrad was armed with a .45 caliber revolver, which he drew and pointed at the two men, telling them not to move.
York, who was standing next to the truck's passenger-side door, took off running, Hayden said. As York turned to run, Hayden said, Conrad fired his weapon shooting Cox in the head.
Cox was attempting to drive away in the pickup truck when he was shot, Hayden said.
Deputies said when they arrived on the scene, the truck had crashed into a storage unit and Cox was in the driver's seat.
He was taken to Lourdes hospital, where he died approximately 40 minutes later.
Hayden later characterized the shooting as intentional.
Officers searched the truck and, in addition to the stolen items, allegedly found burglary tools, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
York was caught and arrested on burglary and drug charges approximately two hours later. He was arraigned June 9 and entered a plea of not guilty. His case has not yet been presented to a grand jury.
Later that day, Conrad posted on his Facebook page that he had to shoot Cox because he was afraid Cox was going to run over his ex-girlfriend with the truck.
Hayden confirmed a woman, who was identified as Conrad's ex-girlfriend, was at the scene and was interviewed but declined to comment on Conrad's claim.
A special grand jury was convened at the request of the McCracken County Sheriff's Department to indict Conrad. He was arrested that night in Calvert City.
In court Thursday, Conrad's request for a public defender was also granted by Circuit Judge Craig Clymer.
A pretrial conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 31.
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
A union contractor in Benton, Conrad was indicted for murder by a McCracken grand jury June 9 after he fatally shot Garlon Casey Cox, 30, in the head during a confrontation at AAA Mini-Storage on Eagles Nest Drive.
According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Department, Conrad had gone to his storage unit around 7 a.m. the morning of the incident and caught Cox and another man, Brandon York, 36, of Benton, taking items from his storage unit and getting into a red Ford Ranger pickup truck.
McCracken Sheriff Jon Hayden said Conrad was armed with a .45 caliber revolver, which he drew and pointed at the two men, telling them not to move.
York, who was standing next to the truck's passenger-side door, took off running, Hayden said. As York turned to run, Hayden said, Conrad fired his weapon shooting Cox in the head.
Cox was attempting to drive away in the pickup truck when he was shot, Hayden said.
Deputies said when they arrived on the scene, the truck had crashed into a storage unit and Cox was in the driver's seat.
He was taken to Lourdes hospital, where he died approximately 40 minutes later.
Hayden later characterized the shooting as intentional.
Officers searched the truck and, in addition to the stolen items, allegedly found burglary tools, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
York was caught and arrested on burglary and drug charges approximately two hours later. He was arraigned June 9 and entered a plea of not guilty. His case has not yet been presented to a grand jury.
Later that day, Conrad posted on his Facebook page that he had to shoot Cox because he was afraid Cox was going to run over his ex-girlfriend with the truck.
Hayden confirmed a woman, who was identified as Conrad's ex-girlfriend, was at the scene and was interviewed but declined to comment on Conrad's claim.
A special grand jury was convened at the request of the McCracken County Sheriff's Department to indict Conrad. He was arrested that night in Calvert City.
In court Thursday, Conrad's request for a public defender was also granted by Circuit Judge Craig Clymer.
A pretrial conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 31.
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
