Johnson woman indicted on murder charge
By TONY FYFFE
BSN Editor
PAINTSVILLE – A Johnson County woman was indicted last week in the stabbing death of another woman in November.
The Johnson County Grand Jury returned an indictment Dec. 15 charging Kristie L. Blair, 47, of Oil Springs, with murder in the Nov. 2 stabbing death of Benedetta P. Blackburn, 54, of Van Lear.
Blair is also charged with first-degree assault for allegedly stabbing Marsha P. Bailey during the same incident.
According to the arrest report at the time of the incident, officers with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to 592 Hyden Branch at Van Lear in reference to an assault with a deadly weapon.
Bailey, the caller, advised that she and Blackburn had been stabbed by Blair, the report said. Bailey said they had gotten the knife away from Blair and was restraining her, waiting on law enforcement and EMS to arrive, the report said.
When the officer arrived at the scene, he found Blackburn lying in the floor of the house with several stab wounds, including two to the neck and throat area, the report said.
Blackburn was unable to speak and was having trouble breathing, the report said.
Bailey had run outside to flag the officer down and then went back into the house to Blackburn, the report said. Blackburn also had stab wounds, including one to the right jaw and one in the left bicep area, the report said.
Blair was sitting in the floor across from Blackburn and seemed to be in a daze, the report said. She had a cut to her left leg and a cut on her left palm along with a black left eye, according to the report.
Bailey advised that they had thrown the knife across the room to keep it away from Blair, the report said, and the officer later found the knife behind the TV stand.
EMS arrived at the scene and transported Blackburn and Bailey to Highlands ARH in Prestonsburg, where Blackburn was pronounced dead at 9:52 p.m. Bailey was transferred to Pikeville Medical in serious but stable condition.
Blair was placed under arrest, read her Miranda rights and transported to Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center in Paintsville for medical clearance before being taken to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.
In a statement at the hospital, Bailey said that Blair was in the bathroom when Blackburn went to tell her that the television program they had been watching was coming back on, the report said.
Blackburn knocked on the bathroom door and then entered, the report said. Bailey said she could hear Blackburn screaming, “She’s stabbing me, she’s stabbing me,” the report said. Blair and Blackburn fought to the living room, where Bailey and Blackburn were able to get the knife away from Blair and call 911, the report said.
At the hospital, when asked by the doctor what had happened, Blair said that she was in the bathroom when Blackburn came in and said that Blackburn was going to hit her, so she grabbed the knife. When Blackburn started hitting her, she started stabbing Blackburn.
Blair was lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Johnson County.
Blair was one of 16 people named in true bills returned Dec. 15 by the grand jury. Others include:
• Rebecca Ratliff, 40, of Hager Hill, charged with second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first-degree persistent felony offender for allegedly possessing a $455.98 forged check drawn on the account of Foothills of Staffordsville with the intent to defraud on Sept. 14 and for having previously been convicted of two felonies.
• Amanda Blackburn, 42, of East Point, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession/use of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication for allegedly possessing methamphetamine, Xanax, two altered glass pipes and marijuana, and appearing in a public place manifestly under the influence of controlled substances or other drugs on July 29.
Blackburn is charged in a second indictment with first-degree promoting contraband for allegedly introducing, obtaining or possessing a controlled substance into the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.
• Michael David Ousley, 38, of Prestonsburg, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession/use of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and a set of digital scales on Oct. 4.
Ousley is charged in a second indictment with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for allegedly possessing a Norinco semi-automatic rifle on Oct. 4 after having previously been convicted of a felony.
• Benjamin Anderson, 22, of Mount Sterling, charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police (motor vehicle), first-degree wanton endangerment, second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, theft by unlawful taking over $1,000 (auto), first-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking under $1,000, speeding 15 miles per four over the limit and failure to wear seat belts for allegedly operating a motor vehicle with the attempt to elude or flee from Deputy Jeremiah Watson of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; engaging in conduct that created a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to Watson; causing a minor to engage in theft; taking and damaging a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu with a value of $10,000 from John Hale of Lovely; taking a socket set, audio amp, battery drill and two weed eaters from Hale; and operating a motor vehicle 15 miles per hour over the limit and without wearing safety belts on Oct. 13.
• Elbert Williamson, 54, of Staffordsville, charged with receiving stolen property over $1,000 but less than $10,000 for allegedly possessing $3,500 worth of fishing equipment on Sept. 25 that was stolen from Jason Auxier of Staffordsville.
• Kristopher Mollette, 33, of Wittensville, and Evan W. Joseph, 29, Salyersville, charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)/complicity and possession/use of drug paraphernalia/complicity for allegedly, acting alone or in complicity with each other, possessing methamphetamine and a glass pipe containing chemical residue on Sept. 24.
Joseph is additionally charged with operating a motor vehicle on a suspended or revoked license and failure to wear seat belts.
• Jolena Music, 40, of Sitka, charged with first-degree bailjumping for allegedly failing to appear for a plea hearing in a felony case on Oct. 1 after having previously been ordered to do so by the court.
• David Tackett, 34, of Van Lear, charged with first-degree bailjumping for allegedly failing to appear for a pretrial conference in a felony case on Dec. 3 after having previously been ordered to do so by the court.
• Christopher Newsome, 36, of Paintsville, charged with first-degree bailjumping for allegedly failing to appear for a sentencing hearing in a felony case on Nov. 5 after having previously been ordered to do so by the court.
• Donna Stidham, 42, of Bush, charged with first-degree bailjumping for allegedly failing to appear for a status hearing on Oct. 29 after having previously been ordered to do so by the court.
• Landon Frazier, 41, of Paintsville, charged with first-degree bailjumping for allegedly failing to appear for a status hearing on Oct. 29 after having previously been ordered to do so by the court.
• Kenneth Dixon, 37, of Hager Hill, charged with first-degree bailjumping for allegedly failing to appear for a sentencing hearing on Oct. 29 after having previously been ordered to do so by the court.
Dixon is charged in a second indictment with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay $12,681.47 in child support from Jan. 18, 2011, through Nov. 30 of this year.
• Terry Daniels, 45, of Paintsville, charged with first-degree bailjumping for allegedly failing to appear for a sentencing hearing on Oct. 29 after having previously been ordered to do so by the court.
• Ashley R. Castle, 36, of Flat Gap, charged in four indictments with flagrant non-support for allegedly failing to pay child support in the amount of $4,020.75 to Phyllis F. Saylor from Nov. 1, 2014, through Nov. 30 of this year; $11,826.37 to Max Beverly from May 1, 2006, through Nov. 30 of this year; $3,730.41 to Regina Dawson from March 1, 2010, through Nov. 30 of this year; and $5,859.05 to Melinda L. Cantrell from March 1, 2010, through Nov. 30 of this year.
(Editor’s note: An indictment is not an indication of guilt but a determination by a grand jury that criminal charges warrant further judicial review.)