Four jailed in double homicide, police seeking fifth suspect

Published 9:13 am Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Police made a fourth arrest around noon Wednesday in connection with an overnight double homicide.

Ronnie Ellis, 18, of Winchester, is also charged with complicity to commit murder.

Winchester Police had already arrested 24-year-old Denzel Hill of 108 Spruce Court, 22-year-old Darian Skinner of 118 Third St. and 18-year-old Mikaela Buford of 300 C.G. Stephenson Drive for two counts each of complicity to commit murder from the shooting at 27 E. Washington St.

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Winchester Police Chief Kevin Palmer said detectives are obtaining arrest warrants for one other person.

Two 16-year-old girls were killed during the incident, Kayla Holland and Adrianna Castro, according to Clark County Coroner Robert Gayheart. Holland was pronounced dead at the scene and Castro died in the emergency room at Clark Regional Medical Center. Both were taken to Frankfort for autopsies, he said.

Both were students at George Rogers Clark High School, where Ellis and Buford are also students.

Palmer said the shooting, which happened around 9 p.m. Tuesday, may have stemmed from a previous incident.

“What we’re getting, and we’re getting mixed signals, is it was an altercation that started earlier in the evening and culminated there at 27 E. Washington St.,” Palmer said. “It was an altercation where there were guns on both sides, according to witnesses.”

Palmer said some of the people on both sides knew each other, and said the two victims were involved.

“There were several persons involved and we are still working to locate persons of interest and witnesses,” Palmer said.

In the arrest citations, Hill and Skinner were identified as participants in a “gunfight” in the parking lot. Buford allegedly drove three men who were involved in the shooting to the apartment building. Police believe she waited nearby and then drove one of the men away from the scene.

Anyone with information about the incident should call the Winchester Police Department at 745-7400.

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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