RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX 18) — Word began to spread on Wednesday morning after police confirmed the woman found in a storage unit in Richmond on Tuesday was Sheena Baxter.
“This is what we wanted, to bring her home” Baxter’s sister Christa Crumley said. “It doesn’t change what it is, but in a way I’m grateful,” she continued.
Baxter disappeared from Crumley’s driveway on February 14th and police worked tirelessly to locate her. A tip led them to Phoenix Transportation in Georgetown last Thursday where surveillance cameras recorded Joseph Hicks, a Phoenix employee, scrubbing his truck clean. Police say that truck contained evidence connecting Hicks to Baxter’s death. They arrested and charged Hicks on Tuesday morning. Hours later, police discovered what turned out to be Baxter’s body inside a Richmond storage unit, which belonged to Hicks.
Crumley said her sister dated Hicks for about one year, and the two broke it off about one year ago. However, according to Hicks’ neighbor across the street, that relationship never really ended.
“I do know they continued to meet each other and she stayed over there a lot,” said Joyce Rogers, who in addition to being Hicks’ neighbor is Baxter’s Great Aunt.
Some in the family are blaming Rogers for encouraging the relationship between Baxter and Hicks, but Rogers was barely able to compose herself when receiving official word of Baxter’s death.
“Y’all don’t know what this has done to me. It’s crazy. They’re (Baxter’s immediate family members) sending crazy stuff to my Facebook, saying nasty stuff to me, and I know nothing! If I knew something I’d have told them,” Rogers said.
Rogers showed LEX 18 a text message thread between her and Baxter, starting on the morning of February 14th (Baxter disappeared later that night). Further messages on the 17th show Rogers attempting desperately to get in touch with Baxter, and begging her to let the family know if she is okay. Those latter text messages were never answered.
Joseph Hicks, who was indicted on a murder charge on Tuesday, is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Scott County.
