Authorities in Kentucky allege that 21-year-old James Priddy kidnapped his girlfriend and her friend before fatally shooting both women when she made clear she wanted to end their relationship, then turned the gun on himself. The bodies of Jadeance Hale, 18, and Lila Asher, 19, were discovered inside a red Chevrolet Cobalt along Kentucky Route 312 in Laurel County late Saturday night alongside Priddy, according to the Laurel County Sheriff's Office.
Background
The sequence of events began when three people left a Barbourville home around dinner time. Parents became concerned after Jadeance Hale, her boyfriend James Priddy, and their friend Lila Asher departed together. According to regional CBS affiliate WKYT, citing police, Hale had planned that evening to break up with Priddy and brought Asher along for support during what she anticipated would be a difficult conversation.
Hale's mother called 911 in distress after learning her daughter was inside a vehicle with Priddy and could not leave. Audio from the dispatcher captured the urgency of the situation: "She tells me that they got proof that this female has been trying to leave him all day. Trying to get her," the dispatcher stated, according to Law&Crime's review of the recording. "This male has took off with her."
The Investigation
Barbourville Police Department officers responded to the domestic violence complaint and located the red Chevrolet Cobalt around 10:45 p.m. Authorities attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver failed to comply, sparking a pursuit through Laurel County.
Deputies from the Laurel County Sheriff's Office joined the effort to box in the fleeing vehicle. The Chevy ultimately struck another vehicle and came to a stop near the end of Kentucky Route 312. When deputies approached the windows to check on the occupants, they discovered all three individuals—Hale, Asher, and Priddy—dead inside.
The sheriff's office stated that "all indications are that apparently James Priddy shot and killed Hale and Asher, then killed himself." Barbourville is a small city in southern Kentucky approximately 90 miles north of Knoxville, Tennessee. The Laurel County Sheriff's Office told Law&Crime on Tuesday that the investigation remains ongoing.
Key Takeaways
- Jadeance Hale, 18, and Lila Asher, 19, were fatally shot inside a vehicle in Laurel County, Kentucky, Saturday night
- James Priddy, 21, allegedly killed both women before turning the gun on himself during a police pursuit
- Authorities say Hale had been trying to end her relationship with Priddy all day and brought Asher for support
- A GoFundMe fundraiser describes the victims as "two vibrant young women whose lives were tragically cut short"
- The Laurel County Sheriff's Office says the investigation is ongoing
What's Next
The Laurel County Coroner's Office will conduct autopsies to confirm the official cause of death. Investigators are expected to examine physical evidence from the scene, including the firearm recovered inside the vehicle. No charges have been filed because Priddy died during the incident, bringing the case to a close in that respect—though the investigation into the circumstances leading up to the shootings continues.