Bond Reduced for M.K. McKinney in Murder Case
By Roberta Cantrell
BSN Editor
The three men charged in connection to the 2023 murder of Amber Spradlin appeared in court Monday, where special Judge Eddy Coleman set a new trial date and reduced the bond for the man accused of her murder.
Michael “M.K.” McKinney, his father Michael McKinney, and Josh Mullins appeared before Judge Coleman in Pike Circuit Court, where attorneys discussed the status of the case. Though the trial was originally set to begin Monday, the Commonwealth asked to continue the trial while awaiting the completion of evidence testing from the state forensics lab.
After that hearing Dec. 1, Judge Coleman reduced the bond for Michael “MK” McKinney III from $5 million cash to $5 million secured by the combination of a $1 million property bond (which requires the posting of real property with a value of $2 million) and $4 million partially secured with 10 percent cash ($400,000).
Also, during the pretrial hearing on Dec. 1, which was originally set as the trial date in the case, Coleman set a trial date of May 11, and a pretrial date of Feb. 26, taking into account information given by Floyd Commonwealth’s Attorney Brent Turner regarding the processing of evidence of the scene.
Turner shared an update from the lab, saying two submissions of evidence are still pending, with one complete but awaiting reports and another expected to be complete by February.
He also stated the lab is using a new technology, as of the last year, that allows them to separate DNA profiles in cases of mixed DNA. Though he said that technology provides a better analysis, it also means more information to sort through. He said a report created using the technology could be 1,000 pages and a lab report on the information would be approximately 20 pages, which means more work for the lab and longer wait times for results.
He said, once complete, it will also mean more work for the experts who will be used during the trial.
“I don’t know how much time to allot for that,” Turner said, recommending a new trial date be set for May or June to allow both sides time to “realistically prepare.”
Attorney Steve Romines, who represents M.K., argued the delay would be even more reason to release his client from jail.
“They can’t have it both ways,” he said. “We want to keep him locked up, but we don’t know when we’re ready to go to trial? You agree to release him on bond and we can work through these issues, timewise.”
Spradlin’s body was found in an Arkansas Creek home in Floyd County, with 11 stab wounds in June 2023. In July 2023, three suspects Michael “MK” McKinney III, Michael McKinney II and Josh Mullins were arrested in connection to her death.
McKinney II and Mullins are facing eight counts of tampering with evidence, and McKinney III is facing those charges as well as murder. Earlier this year the case was moved to Pike County.