Driver sentenced in 2014 fatal shooting

Published 12:18 pm Friday, June 9, 2017

The woman accused of driving three men to and from the scene of an attempted robbery turned homicide was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday.

Lillian Barnett, 20, pleaded guilty in May to amended charges of facilitation to commit murder, first-degree robbery and two counts of first-degree assault for the Dec. 23, 2014, shooting at an apartment complex on Oxford Drive.

In May, Barnett said she believed something was going to happen involving Christopher Robinson, Aaron Stailey and Lamont Wilkerson. Barnett said she drove the three to the apartment complex and waited in the car outside.

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The three men pleaded guilty previously to entering the apartment building wearing masks and armed with guns, intending to steal marijuana from Justin Meadows. When they tried to force their way into Meadows’ apartment, shots were fired. One of those went through the floor into the apartment below, striking and killing 19-year-old Amber Caudill.

Meadows and Crayvone Ritchie, who was in the apartment at the time, were wounded but survived.

As she did when the other three were sentenced, Caudill’s mother Karen Caudill spoke to Barnett about her daughter.

“What you did is stupid, irresponsible,” Karen Caudill said. “I’m angry. I’m hurt. I lost my baby. She lost her life. She wanted a family. She had dreams. You took that from her.”

Barnett said nothing.

Clark Circuit Judge Jean Chenault Logue sentenced Barnett to five years for each count and ordered them to run consecutively. Barnett must serve 20 percent of her sentence before being eligible to meet the parole board.

Robinson was sentenced to 30 years for murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree assault and second-degree assault. Wilkerson and Stailey pleaded guilty to complicity to murder, robbery and assault. They were sentenced to 27 and 25 years, respectively.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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