LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The case involving a woman charged with the murder of a Laurel County businessman has been waived to a grand jury.
62-year-old Bryan McCarty was found dead in his home on Saturday, September 25 with multiple gunshot wounds after deputies were dispatched there for a welfare check, according to the Laurel County Sheriff's Office. A friend of McCarty's said he rented out townhouses in the county and was supposed to attend a business meeting to agree on a sale of his properties when he was killed.
Last week, McCarty's girlfriend, 49-year-old Victoria Strelsky, was arrested at her home off Maple Grove Road.
Strelsky is charged with murder, forgery (1st-degree), and tampering with physical evidence. She's pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During Tuesday's preliminary hearing, Detective Taylor McDaniel with the Laurel County Sheriff's Office testified that a .22 caliber rifle was found with matching shell cases. He also said that on Strelsky's phone, there were Google searches about the kind of physical harm that type of rifle can cause.
"The first search being, 'how long to die with multiple gunshots to the chest,'" said Detective McDaniel. "The second Google search being 'will a 22 penetrate the heart.' And, that's a 22 caliber? Yes. The third search, 'will a 22 penetrate the rib cage?'"
McCarty was found to have three gunshot wounds in his back.
Detective McDaniel noted that phone records helped investigators narrow down the time of the September 24 shooting, which is why testimony from another witness is important.
"Joseph Jackson lived with Ms. Strelsky's daughter across the street in the same residence as her, as a roommate," said McDaniel. "Joseph testified to the grand jury that he had seen her leaving around 1:00 p.m. the day of."
At 2:00 p.m. that day, police say McCarty was scheduled to attend a closing for the sale of one of his rental properties.
"Miss Strelsky appeared at Forcht Bank for a real estate closing for McCarty Rentals," said McDaniel. "Mr. McCarty was not present. Miss Strelsky informed the individuals at the closing that McCarty would not be at the meeting, that he had something more important to do."
At Tuesday's preliminary hearing, the defense counsel argued for a reduction of the bond, currently set at $500,000, but the judge ruled it will remain unamended. If she posts bond, Strelsky can be monitored electronically at home during the trial phase, but she cannot use any of McCarty's assets for the bond.
