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| Bond hearing sheds light in murder investigation |
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4/29/2016
By Tom Marshall
Senior Advocate writer
The lead investigator in the Paul Brewer murder case shed considerable light on what reportedly transpired the night he was killed during the continuation of a bond hearing April 20 for the three suspects charged with killing him.
Brewer, 52, was found shot to death inside his Natalie Drive apartment Dec. 22, 2011.
Nickie Allen Miller, 53, of Stanton, and Cody Wayne Hall, 31, and Natasha Lynn Martin, 29, both of Clay City, are charged with murder and first-degree robbery.
They are currently being held at the Montgomery County Regional Jail on $2 million bonds.
Det./Sgt. Ralph Charles with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office served as the lead investigator on the case and testified at length during last week’s hearing.
Charles testified that Brewer was killed by a gunshot to the head. Another bullet wound was reportedly found to his neck.
Brewer was in bed on his back with a pillow over his head in a large pool of blood, Charles testified. Each arm, he further testified, was bound to the bed with black straps.
Authorities allege that Martin and another woman went to the apartment “to love on” Brewer, while Miller and Hall made their way inside to rob him.
Martin denied any knowledge of the crime when she was interviewed back in 2012, Charles testified.
Later, confronted with DNA evidence in November 2015 that reportedly linked her to one of the straps used in the crime, Martin confessed, the detective testified.
A witness also came forward who claimed that Martin had admitted participating in the crime, he testified.
Martin later recanted her confession.
Charles testified that he was convinced of her truthfulness because she reportedly knew a detail that had not previously been released to the public involving an item that had been left behind at the crime scene.
She told investigators that she and the other woman, there on the pretense of having sex with Brewer, tied him up and radioed for Miller and Hall to come in and rob Brewer, Charles testified.
He testified that rumors had circulated that Brewer had recently come into some money.
Miller and Hall believed Brewer had a large sum of cash at the apartment when in fact the money he had recently received was in the form of a check, Charles claims.
Martin reportedly told investigators she later heard a gunshot and Hall tell Miller, “Why did you have to do that,” according to the detective’s testimony. A witness claims that Miller then had Hall shoot Brewer, who was already dead, to further implicate Hall in the crime, Charles testified.
A Woodford County Detention Center inmate reportedly approached investigators after the crime to report that Hall confessed to the murder while the pair were incarcerated together.
Other witnesses described an alleged argument between Hall and Miller over the crime afterward, Charles testified.
Charles also testified that Martin and other witnesses claim Miller was involved based on conversations they had with him or overheard.
Bridget Hofler, an attorney with the Kentucky Dept. of Public Advocacy’s Capital Trial Branch, mentioned another possible suspect during her cross examination of Charles.
She claims another man, who traveled in the same circle with the other individuals, reportedly confessed to the murder and a witness had come forward saying they drove the suspect to Brewer’s home.
Hofler also claims that several other people have reported that the individual was involved.
The sheriff’s office is still investigating who the other woman was that was allegedly with Martin at the Brewer residence. Charles testified that she has given authorities several different names.
DNA samples have been taken from other individuals, but those results are not back, he testified.
Because of the potential for the entry of new evidence, Circuit Judge William “Bill” Lane continued the bond hearing until May 27.
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