Johnson woman indicted on manslaughter charge

By TONY FYFFE

BSN Editor

PAINTSVILLE – A Staffordsville woman was indicted last week by the Johnson County Grand Jury on a manslaughter charge in connection with a March fatal shooting. The indictment against Vanessa Morton, 45, was one of seven returned by the grand jury last Wednesday, Oct. 14, in its October partial report. Morton is charged with first-degree manslaughter in the shooting death of Christopher Downs on March 15. Additional details about the incident were not included in the indictment. Others named in true bills were: • Ben Meade Jr., 46, of West Van Lear, charged with second-degree burglary for allegedly entering and remaining in a house at 114 S. Buckingham Ave. in West Van Lear owned by Melvin Lemaster with the intent to commit theft on Aug. 29. • Casey Spence, 22, of Tomahawk, charged in two indictments with theft by unlawful taking under $10,000 and second-degree persistent felony offender for allegedly taking a 2011 Harley Davidson motorcycle valued at approximately $7,500 from Dustin Linville on Aug. 16 and a 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle valued at approximately $3,000 from Patrick Morgan of Lowmansville on Aug. 12. Spence was also previously convicted of a felony, according to the indictment. • Tony Underwood, 29, of Paintsville, charged with first-degree wanton endangerment, no operator's license and second-degree disorderly conduct for allegedly engaging in conduct that created a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to Isaac Vanhoose, operating a motor vehicle without a valid operator's license and engaging in violent or threatening behavior in a public place with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance and/or alarm on Aug. 28. • Chelsea M. Hall/Hill, 34, of Leander, charged with intent to defraud/scheme/artifice to obtain benefits under $10,000 for allegdly making a false statement or misrepresentation or by other means failing to disclose a material fact used in determining her qualifications to receive benefits under any assistance program, or failing to report a change in the factors affecting the person's eligibility for benefits, resulting in the over payment of $44,275, from Oct. 1, 2016, through June 30, 2018. • James D. Lewis II, 41, of Louisa, charged with second-degree assault for allegedly causing serious physical injury to Jocelyn George of Sitka on March 18. (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.)