Officials investigate murder, attempted suicide in Johnson County

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

PAINTSVILLE — Authorities are investigating a murder-attempted suicide in Johnson County.

Johnson County Coroner J.R. Frisby confirmed that the body of a 12-year-old girl, Stacia Leigh Collins of Van Lear, who had been reported missing, was found in the Miller’s Creek area of Boons Camp, on Thursday at around 5:30 p.m.

Frisby said that there had been a lot of people out looking for the girl, and he confirmed that her father, Stacy Collins, had also been found suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“He shot her and then shot himself,” Frisby said. “He was still alive.”

According to a release issued by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a reported assault in the Van Lear community of Johnson County on Thursday at approximately 11 a.m. When officers arrived, they discovered Stacy Collins, suffering from what was believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Paintsville EMS also responded and transported him to Highlands ARH Hospital.

Extending from the initial investigation, deputies discovered that his 12-year-old daughter was missing, the release said.

After exhausting numerous leads to locate the juvenile, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with Emergency Management Director Gary McClure began assembling search crews in an attempt to locate the juvenile, the release said. The search was to initially concentrate in the area that her father was found.

“Sadly, with public assistance, the juvenile was soon located, but was deceased,” the release said. “Remains were transported by the Johnson County Coroner’s Office to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort.”

Sheriff Doug Saylor said that Stacy Collins was found two to three miles from where his daughter’s body was located.

Stacia Leigh Collins is survived by her mother, Summer Leigh Mullins of Paintsville.

Funeral services were held Monday in the chapel of the Phelps & son Funeral Home with the burial following in the Annie E. Young Cemetery at Pikeville. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Phelps & Son Funeral Home