By SHARON K. HALL
A federal grand jury indicted Eugene Slone with the murder of two Knott County residents and conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.
Slone was charged with the murders of David E. “Davey” Sparkman, 26, and Keisha Sexton, 18. The couple were found dead July 20, 2012, at an abandoned mine site on Mullins Branch Road in the Beaver area of Knott County. A report of a burned vehicle prompted Kentucky State Police Post 13 in Hazard, Knott County Sheriff’s office, and Pippa Passes Police Department to the site where they found two bodies burned beyond recognition. A medical examiner identified the human remains as that of Sparkman and Sexton from Topmost.
US District Court for the eastern district of Kentucky Lexington Division told the Times that the indictment stated Slone allegedly killed Davey Sparkman and Keisha Sexton with intent to retaliate against them for providing information to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission of a Federal offense.
The indictment also alleged Slone and 11 other people conspired together and with others to knowingly and intentionally distribute a quantity of pills containing oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance. The drug charges were from the time period in November 2009 through approximately July 26, 2012, in Clay, Knott, Letcher, Perry counties, and elsewhere. People indicted for conspiracy of drug related charges with Slone were Ruth Beckner, Larry Smith, Angela Smith, Stephen Shane Slone, Danville Little, Malla McCown, Curtis Venters, Morgan Joseph, Tony Short, Amanda Short, and Jason Sparkman.
The Grand Jury further charged that Slone committed both murders after substantial planning and premeditation. Also, the indictment alleged he intentionally killed more than one person in a single criminal episode.
Two motorcycles will possibly be forfeited to the United States because the indictment alleged Slone used and intended to use the vehicles to commit and to facilitate the controlled substance violations.
If Slone is convicted of the drug conspiracy charge, a sentence of 20 to 30 years andafineof$1to$2million are possible. Murder convictions could carry death or life imprisonment penalties, a fine of not more than $250,000, and super- vised release up to five years.
Slone is scheduled to appear before US Magistrate Judge Hanly A. Ingram this Friday.