Kentucky

Kentucky Supreme Court upholds life sentence for Brice Rhodes in 2016 triple murder conviction

Published

5 months ago

February 20, 2026

Kentucky Supreme Court upholds life sentence for Brice Rhodes in 2016 triple murder conviction

LOUSIVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A convicted Louisville triple murderer will remain behind bars after the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled unanimously to uphold his sentence.

Brice Rhodes was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in March 2024 for the brutal murders of three people, including two teenage brothers, nearly 10 years ago.

In December 2023, a jury deliberated for less than an hour before convicting Rhodes of the murders, one count of tampering with physical evidence, and two counts of abuse of a corpse in the shooting of Christopher Jones and brutal beating and stabbings of teenage brothers Maurice Gordon and Larry Ordway. Their bodies were burned.

During his sentencing, the judge told Rhodes it would be a “dishonor” not to follow the jury’s recommendation and formally sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility for parole.

Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court unanimously upheld his conviction in an unanimous ruling.

“Justice has once again been affirmed,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman in a news release Thursday. “With the appeal denied of this three-time convicted murderer, the court has reinforced that accountability does not expire.”

In a statement, Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina Whethers said the hope is that the families of the victims “can rest easier knowing that his lifetime sentence has been confirmed.”

Background

The case stalled for years as Rhodes cycled through numerous attorneys, who Rhodes either refused to work with or threatened. He waited more than a year for a mental competency evaluation and the case languished through the pandemic when courts were shut down.

His bizarre outbursts in the courtroom, including threatening judges and attorneys, implying the lead prosecutor and a previous judge were having an affair and calling several court officials racists, angered family members of the victims and prompted even more publicity in the high-profile case.

Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Julie Kaelin had previously ruled that while Rhodes was competent to stand trial, he was ineligible for the death penalty, finding he has a documented history of serious mental illness or intellectual disability.

Defense attorney Tom Griffiths told the judge they will appeal the guilty verdict.

Rhodes’ attorneys had acknowledged in December that jurors had found Rhodes accountable for “horrible things” done in May 2016 but argued that they should show empathy and not lock him up for life in prison without parole.

“No matter what he did on his worst days, Brice is still a human being,” said defense attorney Thaisa Howorth during the jury sentencing. “I’m asking you to have just a little bit of hope with Brice,” who she said has struggled with childhood abuse, bipolar disorder and intellectual disability.

However, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Elizabeth Jones Brown told jurors at the time to consider “the horrific nature of these murders” and noted this wasn’t Rhodes’ first criminal convictions, pointing out he had already been found guilty of assault, burglary, robbery and other charges before the murders.

During the trial, Jones Brown told jurors that eyewitnesses testified that in early May 2016, they saw Rhodes kill Jones, who he believed was another man that had a bounty out for his death.

Rhodes shot Jones on May 4, 2016, on South 41st Street. A co-defendant, Anjuan Carter said he was in the passenger seat, Gordon was the “getaway driver” and Rhodes and Ordway were in the back seat when the shooting occurred.

Jones died at the hospital.

Rhodes heard that Gordon, 16, and Ordway, 14, were telling family members about the murder, so he brought them to his home on May 22, 2016, according to testimony in the trial.

After a brief scuffle, Gordon was tied up and a toboggan placed over his head, while Ordway was moved into a bathroom where he listened to his brother scream and “beg for forgiveness,” prosecutors told the jury.

Rhodes – and other men at the home – beat and stabbed Gordon, then rolled his body out of the way and brought Ordway in and the “the process was started over,” according to the prosecution.

The three then allegedly put the two brothers into a car and dumped them in the backyard of an abandoned house in the 400 block of River Park Drive, east of Shawnee Park, and burned the bodies. Carter testified he stayed behind and cleaned up after the murders.

Two of those men involved with the murders, teenage cousins Carter and Jacorey Taylor, cut deals for lesser sentences and testified during the trial that Rhodes was the mastermind, forcing them to take part in the killings.

Previous Coverage:

Brice Rhodes sentenced to life in prison for 2016 triple murder conviction

Brice Rhodes is ‘pure evil,’ lead detective in Louisville triple murder case says

Jury recommends life in prison without parole for Brice Rhodes, convicted of 2016 triple murder in Louisville

Louisville jury finds Brice Rhodes guilty on all counts in 2016 triple murder case

Attorneys and family of Brice Rhodes plea for leniency in sentencing for triple murder convictions

Jurors shown interrogation video of Brice Rhodes during 4th day of testimony in murder trial

Defendant testifies Brice Rhodes made him participate in murders of teen brothers

Brice Rhodes’ co-defendant testifies Rhodes was the instigator and mastermind in 3 murders

Prosecutor tells jury Brice Rhodes was ‘calculating and cruel’ as his triple murder trial begins

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Kentucky

Trooper still recovering 1 year after fatal Lexington shooting spree

Published

5 hours ago

July 11, 2026

Press Room

Trooper still recovering 1 year after fatal Lexington shooting spree

KENTUCKY (WKYT) – Monday marks the one-year anniversary of the Lexington shooting spree that left two people dead and another two injured.

One of the injured was Kentucky State Police Trooper Jude Remilien, who was shot in the leg outside of Blue Grass Airport after he pulled over the shooter, Guy House.

Good Samaritans saved Remilien’s life that day.

So, one year later, how is he doing, and what is he up to?

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

2 killed in Lexington church shooting after trooper shot; suspect killed, officials say
KSP trooper shot near Blue Grass Airport shares his story

According to KSP, Remilien is doing just fine physically and is currently assigned to the public affairs branch.

He has also taken on an active role in KSP’s Youth Academy Program as an instructor and mentor.

The program is a several-day experience in which teenagers interested in law enforcement, public safety, and community service train like state troopers.

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Kentucky

Affordable Care Act rates rate hikes could strain Kentucky families, WKAS warns

Published

16 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Affordable Care Act rates rate hikes could strain Kentucky families, WKAS warns

Wkas (2).jpg — West Kentucky Allied Services Paducah office on July 9.
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Max Davis

PADUCAH — Affordable Care Act marketplace rates are set to rise again in 2027, according to public filings, and West Kentucky Allied Services said that it could be catastrophic for those affected.

The ACA marketplace is a public platform for buying private insurance plans and applying for premium tax credits and Medicaid.

The rate increases can be found in 77 publicly released ACA rate filings submitted to state regulators on June 30. The rates reveal a median 14% rate hike across the country and double-digit rate increases for two policies in Kentucky.

“For our low-income clients, we’re already seeing that a good number of them find prices are so out of reach that they are having to make a decision between paying rent or utilities or having health care coverage, and sad to say, a good number are deciding not to have health care coverage,” Uppinder Mehan, CEO of West Kentucky Allied Services, said.

Mehan said that the ACA marketplace was supposed to be the more affordable alternative to other private plans, but has become just as expensive. He explained that this has put many in Kentucky in a bind, especially those who do not qualify for Medicaid.

“I think the main driver is that the kind of support states like Kentucky have enjoyed in the past few years, that is, support from the federal government for Medicaid, has simply vanished,” Mehan said. “The decision was made by the current administration to no longer fund states in their Medicaid costs, and so now states like Kentucky have to come up with the resources to pay for the coverage for its citizens, or look to save money wherever they can, and unfortunately, what that often ends up meaning is that people end up losing coverage.”

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“Those of us who are in the middle are beginning to feel the squeeze more and more. A greater portion of folks’ budgets are going towards health care than ever before, and they’re finding it a challenge to find suitable coverage,” Uppinder Mehan, CEO of West Kentucky Allied Services, said.

Max Davis

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“Those of us who are in the middle are beginning to feel the squeeze more and more. A greater portion of folks’ budgets are going towards health care than ever before, and they’re finding it a challenge to find suitable coverage,” Uppinder Mehan, CEO of West Kentucky Allied Services, said.

Max Davis

ACA rates also increased in 2025 by a median of 20% across publicly available data. 2026’s change is lower, but according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, it is the second-highest rate change since 2018 and shows some premiums on the marketplaces have jumped by more than a third in two years.

“As more people become aware, they’re beginning to actually contact their representatives, which is probably the best thing you can do is let people in our state government know that there are concerns that you have about this,” Mehan said. “There are a number of committee hearings that are still going on, and my hope is that we can find a better solution.”

While not every provider’s proposed rate is publicly available at this time, Mehan said that almost every provider is scheduled to raise their prices by 8% to 14%. The two Kentucky rate increases included in the 77 available on June 30 have Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky increasing by a proposed 16.9% and WellCare Health Plans of Kentucky increasing by 20.7%.

“A greater portion of folks’ budgets is going towards health care than ever before, and they’re finding it a challenge to find suitable coverage,” Mehan said.

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Kentucky

Public Health Student Hollie Hagan found her calling in rural Kentucky

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Public Health Student Hollie Hagan found her calling in rural Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 10, 2026) — Growing up in Grayson County, Hollie Hagan always knew she wanted to help people. She just wasn’t sure what that looked like.

Like many students entering college, Hagan originally envisioned a career in healthcare. She planned to study nutrition and dietetics, inspired by time spent volunteering at her local food pantry. But an internship with the Grayson County Health Department during her senior year of high school introduced her to a field she hadn’t even realized existed — public health.

“I had no clue what a health department does or even what public health was,” Hagan said. “Then I got there and saw all the ways they were helping people, both directly and indirectly. I thought, ‘This is something I really want to be a part of.’”

That experience changed everything.

Alongside her coursework, she has served as a College of Public Health senator in the Student Government Association, has moderated public health panels and is participating in the Rural Public Health Scholars Program, a combination of course- and fieldwork that places students in rural communities to work on projects aimed at improving health outcomes.

But throughout those experiences, one goal has remained constant — returning to the community that helped shape her.

“I’ve realized that with public health you can make an impact on any level,” said Hagan, who is also a Lewis Honors College student. “For me, I want to be at the local level helping people.”

That desire has been evident since she first arrived at the Grayson County Health Department.

Josh Horton, public health director for the Grayson County Health Department, said Hagan quickly distinguished herself through both her work ethic and willingness to learn.

“Hollie has always been a very capable person,” he said. “You just give her instructions, and she runs with it.”

While Hagan entered her high school internship knowing she was interested in leadership, Horton watched her interests evolve as she gained firsthand experience in public health.

“When she came back to us and said, ‘I want to do something in public health,’ that was a reminder of why we’re doing what we’re doing,” Horton said. “Our goal has always been to inspire people to go into public health. We’d love for them to come back to Grayson County, but as long as they end up serving somewhere in public health, we consider it a win.”

For Hagan, public health offered something she hadn’t found elsewhere — the opportunity to create ripple effects that improve the health and well-being of entire communities.

“I think it’s important to learn about health at a community level,” she said. “You’re not just learning how to treat one person. You’re learning how to impact everyone in a community, which I think is just so amazing and unique.”

Her time at the College of Public Health has given Hagan opportunities to grow both as a student and a leader. One of those experiences came when she moderated the Big Blue Public Health Illumination Seminar Series on Summer Safety and Emergency Preparedness, bringing together public health professionals and community leaders for a discussion on issues affecting Kentucky communities.

Hosting her first public health panel was intimidating, she said, but it quickly became one of her most rewarding experiences.

“Once the conversation got going, I found myself learning just as much as everyone else in the room,” Hagan said. “We had such a great group of panelists, and it really highlighted the work happening in rural communities.”

Among those panelists was Horton, who saw Hagan confidently guide conversations around the very work she’d experienced during her internship.

“To see her take what she learned here in Grayson County and then lead a panel discussing those ideas at the university was exciting,” he said. “It’s rewarding because it reminds us why we invest in students.”

This summer, Hagan has returned to Grayson County for her fieldwork portion of the Rural Public Health Scholars Program, continuing to build experience in environmental health — an area she now hopes to pursue professionally as a registered environmental health specialist.

Long term, she sees herself building a career in rural public health.

“I like being on the go,” Hagan said. “I like being out in the community, doing site visits, talking with people and making a difference.”

For Horton, that commitment reflects something deeper than career ambition.

“It takes a certain heart to stay in rural public health,” he said. “There are opportunities to go elsewhere, but people who choose rural communities do it because they want to serve. Hollie has that same heart.”

Looking back, Hagan never expected a high school job-shadowing experience and a food pantry volunteer position would lead her to public health. Now, she hopes other students discover the field just as she did.

“If you want to have a larger impact, come to the College of Public Health,” she said. “You’ll learn how to improve the health of an entire community.”

For Hagan, that community has always been Grayson County—and she hopes one day to return home and help it thrive.

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