Arrest made in Floyd murder case

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

PRESTONSBURG — A Knott County man has been charged with murder of a Floyd County man, Paul Sester, 46, whose body was found last week at an undisclosed location in Johnson County.

Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt announced Sunday the arrest of James Pratt, 52, in the death of Paul Setser, 46, who had been reported missing Jan. 1 by family members.

Deputies immediately began an investigation into Sester’s disappearance that consisted of interviewing several individuals who were last seen with Sester or somehow associated with him, Hunt said in a release.

Officers canvassed neighborhoods and surveillance cameras, used K-9 tracking and cadaver dogs as well as drones and more, the release said.

Hunt said in the release that deputies were assisted by Kentucky State Police troopers and detectives along with ATF agents in collecting and processing different scenes and gathering of evidence.

Hunt said that Johnson County Sheriff Doug Saylor notified him last Wednesday, March 16, that

a body had been discovered in Johnson County. Floyd County sheriff’s deputies and the state medical examiner’s office confirmed Thursday that the body was that of Sester.

Since then, Hunt, deputies and ATF agents continued to interview witnesses and collect evidence to identify the person(s) responsible for Sester’s death, the release said. Pratt, of Pine Top, was charged Sunday with murder and lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail.

The case is still ongoing and additional charges are pending, the release said. Deputies are still seeking information as to any individuals who may have assisted or accompanied Pratt prior to or at the time of Sester’s murder, or with any events following his death up until the discovery of his body, the release said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Floyd County Dispatch at 886-6171, or the anonymous tip line at 606-949-2020. You can also text a deputy direct by using the sheriff’s Text A Tip at 477-(TIPS)8477 or (TIPS)8477 from an Appalachian Wireless phone.