Closing arguments began late Wednesday morning in Trigg County Circuit Court in the case of Landon W. Stinson — a 31-year-old man charged in the July 2, 2021, homicides of family members Sue Faris and Matthew Blakeley.
Defense Attorney Bill Deatherage said there were simply too many overlying factors to convict his client, including: Blakeley’s alleged involvement in larger marijuana operations, Stinson’s consistent desire to go to California, a white sports car that mysteriously “sped away” that terrible afternoon, and Stinson’s deep connection with his family members.
Deatherage also vehemently noted that Kentucky State Police Detective Sergeant David Dick “wouldn’t consider” another perpetrator in the incident, and instead “honed in” on Stinson from the start. This targeting, he called it, closed potential other avenues that may or may not have led to the Blakeley and Faris deaths.
And, simply put, Deatherage said the prosecution wanted the jury “to guess” that Stinson did it. That a man with “no criminal history, save an early DUI, and no history of violence” killed his loved ones.
Deatherage also repeated Stinson’s first testimony to KSP when he was picked up in California July 5, 2021, and interviewed July 6, 2021.
“Maybe if I had stayed, I could’ve stopped it,” Deatherage said.
Deatherage went on to ask the jury: “…Who did it? We don’t know. But there’s somebody out there, probably a male, maybe somebody in the drug business, who’s hoping with all of his heart and his mind that you’ll convict Landon Stinson…because then he will be free.”
“There’s just not any proof, shape, form…beyond a reasonable doubt…for Stinson to be locked in prison for life.”
Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins was just beginning to speak as the lunch hour began.
Before closing arguments were heard, jurors and the court got a chance to hear rebuttal testimony from retired Cadiz Police Chief Duncan Wiggins — who was recalled by Ovey-Wiggins and the Commonwealth.
Wiggins rifled through two-year-old notes from his July 3, 2021, visit to the Cerulean Road crime scene, and confirmed that in a preliminary and cursory conversation with neighbor Franna Johnson, no “white car, speeding away” was brought to attention. Wiggins said it was a note he would’ve made at the time, given his then 29 years of police work, and he confirmed that morning scene was “active,” with multiple police cars, police tape roping the residence, and “emotional” family members likely aware of what had transpired.
In cross examination from Defense Attorney Chris Woodall, Wiggins stated again he reported to the scene from home after a call came from CPD’s Justin Rios, and that he also had July 3, 2021, conversations with Robert Allen, brother of Faris, and Bobbie Jo Overby, the widow of Blakeley. Both Allen and Overby testified that they visited the Faris home the evening of July 2, 2021, and never got responses by phone or the door.
Wiggins did say that Overby told him she came by the property around 6:30 AM July 3, 2021.
The defense rested its case at 9:30 AM. Stinson never took the stand.
