LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Testimony was offered on Friday morning in Fayette District Court during a preliminary hearing for Courtney Young.
Young was charged with murder, evidence tampering and being a felon in possession of a gun earlier this month, roughly five months after Nicole Morton was found deceased in an apartment traced to Young.
Detective Steve Hudak from the Lexington Police Department spoke about interviewing Miss Young and that she seemed to be nervous and mumbling during their conversation. He also said investigators refuted her alibis by tracking her cell phone location and usage on the morning in question. He also said the murder weapon, while not located on the scene, was likely a .357 revolver.
“We believe that the firearm was removed from the apartment because our forensic unit searched that apartment very thoroughly and we did not find a shell casing, which correlates with the witness statements telling us that Miss Young is known to have her .357,” Detective Hudak testified.
Hudak later stated that a .357 revolver does not eject shell casings.
Defense counsel argued that because the bullet fragments hadn’t yet been lab-tested a definitive conclusion about the weapon used could not be drawn, which the detective didn’t dispute.
Judge Melissa Moore Murphy ruled that there is probable cause to move this case forward and bound it over to the Grand Jury for its consideration of the evidence.
Young’s bond was unamended and remains $1,000,000. Young’s attorney did not argue for a reduction.
