Two major concerns still remain in the upcoming February 2025 trial for Jonathan McCoy and Keisha Stewart — both of which are charged with various offenses regarding the 2020 murder of Will Jackson Road’s Thelma “Ileen” Barnett.
A possible severing of the joint effort. And a possible change of venue.
During Wednesday morning’s round in Trigg County Circuit Court, Stewart’s attorney Katy Riley informed all parties that she may be filing some new motions soon for her client — but wasn’t originally notified by McCoy’s representatives of a standing motion to separate.
Redd said this was concerning.
Redd and Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins also sorted out why a motion of severance even exists for Stewart and McCoy — which, if granted, would force McCoy and Stewart to stand trial at different times, as opposed to a plan that’s been ruled upon for nearly four years.
So, the new pre-trial calendar sits like this:
+ At 12:30 PM Friday, December 20, in Trigg County’s chambers, the Commonwealth and McCoy’s defense team of Wesley Boyarski, Rick Lawniczak and Christy Hiance will put forth arguments and rebuttals about the possibility for change of motion.
+ Then, at 9 AM Friday, January 10, both McCoy and Stewart, as well as their counsel, will be present to discuss the motion to sever.
Depending on how Redd rules, the trial remains scheduled to begin just before Valentine’s Day 2025, and is expected to last no less than three weeks.
Also of interest from Wednesday’s court docket, Redd ordered for Allison Hunter to return to court for another pre-trial conference February 12, 2025, and handcuffed her with a $300,000 bond while she awaits a potential trial.
Considered a “person of interest” in Barnett’s murder, she was arrested in Pike County by the Pikeville Police Department this past March.
At the time, both the Commonwealth’s Office and defenders for Stewart and McCoy had noted she was needed for the impending trial, and those needs haven’t changed.
This past spring, Hunter had been named a Christian County Crimestoppers “Fugitive of the Week,” and was issued four warrants: probation violation on felony offenses, failure to appear for child support and failure to appear on conditions of release. Her charges now include one count of complicity to first-degree burglary.
Currently, Stewart remains charged with one count of second-degree complicity to arson, one count of complicity abuse of a corpse, one count of complicity tampering with physical evidence, and one count of second-degree complicity burglary — as well as a single count of fraudulent use with a credit card under $10,000, unrelated to Barnett’s murder.
McCoy, meanwhile, is charged with one count of murder, one count of kidnapping leading to a victim’s death, one count of second-degree arson, one count of tampering with physical evidence, one count of abuse of a corpse, and one count of first-degree burglary.
All three are lodged in Christian County Jail.
