Kidnapping

STANFORD - A Lincoln County man scheduled for trial Wednesday on charges he kidnapped and beat his girlfriend has pleaded guilty instead. Ronald "J.R. " Kennedy, 30, of 115 Hazlett Hollow initially was charged with kidnapping with serious physical injury, first-degree assault and being a persistent felony offender in the August 2007 attack on Stacy Hunt. As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, those charges were amended down to unlawful imprisonment and second-degree assault.

A man accused of escaping from the Montgomery County Jail and then killing his ex-girlfriend was indicted on Monday. An official from the Morgan County Circuit Clerk's Office said this morning that Robin Mapel was indicted on capital murder and kidnapping charges by a Morgan County grand jury. The indictment alleges that Mapel kidnapped, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Patrick, on Nov. 10. According to the Mount Sterling Advocate, Mapel was first arrested in July after allegedly kidnapping his son and engaging in a standoff with authorities in Montgomery County.

Prosecutors are going ahead with felony assault and kidnapping charges against Ronald "J.R. " Kennedy, despite the death of the alleged victim a week before the trial was to have begun. Carol Hill, assistant Commonwealth's attorney, said a status hearing is scheduled for Kennedy Tuesday, Nov. 25 in Lincoln Circuit Court to possibly set a new trial date and "come to an agreement on the charges. " Kennedy, 29, of 115 Hazlett Hollow, is charged with kidnapping with serious physical injury, first-degree assault and being a persistent felony offender.

STANFORD - The ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend involved in a bizarre kidnapping case made their preliminary appearance Monday afternoon in Lincoln County District Court, each asking for a reduced bond. Jesse James Abee, 22, faces charges of kidnapping, second-degree fleeing an evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, disregarding a stop sign, fourth-degree assault, third-degree criminal mischief and first-degree unlawful imprisonment pertaining to a Sept.

STANFORD - The woman who was allegedly kidnapped from her home by an ex-boyfriend has been arrested after playing a role in helping the man evade police capture. Julie Knifely, 36, has been charged with falsely reporting an incident, hindering apprehension, and obstruction of government operation. Early Monday, Knifely allegedly was removed from her Waynesburg home by ex-boyfriend Jesse James Abee, 22. Knifely alleged to sheriff's deputies Abee, after forcing her into his car, held her captive while driving on Ky. 1247 at a high rate of speed.

Jesse Abee turned himself in to Sheriff Curt Folger early Tuesday evening after a day and a half on the run. The Sheriff's Department had used local and news outlets to put pressure on the 22-year-old Abee, who is facing a list of criminal charges. The events began early Monday morning, Dep. Sim Thacker was parked on U.S. 27 looking out for a reported drunk driver in the area when Abee passed him speeding and driving erratically. Abee led the deputy on a short pursuit before crashing into a utility pole at Cemetery Road.

STANFORD - One of the suspects in the 2002 murders of Bo Upton and Ryan Shangraw in Lincoln County was the victim of an elaborate kidnapping scheme in 2006 in New Hampshire. The Interior Journal in Stanford reported today that Matthew Tolson was lured to a nightclub, forced at gunpoint into a Mercedes-Benz, ordered to disrobe, robbed of cash, a cell phone and four gold teeth, and was shot at as he ran away. Police found Tolson when they responded to a call of a naked man pounding on doors in a residential area and calling for help.

When Matthew Tolson went to Manchester, N.H., in March 2006, he ran into trouble. Tolson, a suspect in the 2002 murders of Bo Upton and Ryan Shangraw, was lured to a nightclub, forced at gunpoint into a Mercedes-Benz, ordered to disrobe, robbed of cash, a cell phone and four gold teeth, and was shot at as he ran away. In a story that is sometimes stranger than fiction, police found Tolson when they responded to a call of a naked man pounding on doors in a residential area and calling for help.