A Kentucky community is reeling after a mother and her teenage daughter were found dead in what police are calling a double murder.
Authorities say 44-year-old Joshua Cottrell has been charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of 37-year-old Kayla Blake and her 13-year-old daughter, Kennedi McWhorter. He also faces a charge of tampering with physical evidence, according to the Kentucky State Police.
The tragedy came to light on Friday when a coworker of Blake’s went to check on her at her South Spring Street home in Morehead after she didn’t show up for work. First responders arrived shortly after and discovered the bodies of both Blake and her daughter inside. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators quickly identified Cottrell as a suspect, though he was not in the area at the time. Instead, he was reportedly at a hospital in Paducah — more than 300 miles away. Around 2 p.m., he was released, arrested, and taken to the McCracken County Jail. Authorities have not revealed the nature of his injuries or clarified whether he had any prior connection to the victims.
Neighbors said the family was well liked and the murders have left them shocked. “Really great family,” local resident Robert Suarez III told WYMT, recalling how his daughter once played softball with Kennedi. He described Blake as a “really, really sweet lady.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with multiple agencies working to determine what led to the killings and how Cottrell may be connected.
He just looks like a criminal. Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover.
Was this idiot the mother’s boyfriend???????