Probable cause has been found in two separate Laurel County shooting incidents which occurred only a day apart.
Chief District Judge John Paul Chappell found probable cause in Laurel District Court Tuesday for both Ivy Casteel, 21, and James Smith, 56, both of London.
Attorney Emily Croucher represented both individuals.
Ivy Casteel
Laurel County Sheriff’s Detective Taylor McDaniel provided information pertaining to Casteel’s case.
Det. McDaniel shared that the sheriff’s office received a call Saturday, Jan. 4, informing them of a gunshot wound at 323 Full Moon Circle, about seven miles west of London, around 4:24 p.m.
Once Det. McDaniel arrived on scene, he spoke with Casteel in the back of a cruiser. At that time, Casteel told McDaniel she and her boyfriend had had a domestic dispute when she accidentally shot him.
Casteel was then brought to the LCSO. There, according to Det. McDaniel, she recounted entering a bedroom where the victim was attempting to hang himself and she had tapped him with a firearm in hand. She said he then jumped back, causing her to accidentally fire the gun.
Det. McDaniel said both Casteel and the victim initially informed him that she had thrown a bag on the gun, causing it to go off. McDaniel went on to share that the victim later changed his story, recounting sitting on a bed when Casteel entered the room and shot him.
No evidence regarding the original story was found, though Casteel pointed out rope on the porch of their home.
The victim was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington for treatment of a serious injury and has since been released.
A not guilty plea was entered on Casteel’s behalf during her recent arraignment, when bond was set at $75,000.
James Smith
Just a day later, another shooting took place off Wren Road, about four miles south of London, at approximately 1:08 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5. Smith was arrested for the incident.
LCSO Det. Tommy Houston provided information pertaining to Smith’s case.
Det. Houston recounted the sheriff’s office receiving a complaint that day which came in through 911 Dispatch.
Houston shared that, through his investigation, he learned the victim was Smith’s nephew —who was accused of stealing a laptop. Smith confronted the victim at the victim’s home when a physical altercation ensued.
Smith told Det. Houston that his nephew had attacked him, stabbing him in the arm with a needle.
Houston testified that, according to the defendant, Smith then went to his home and retrieved a firearm before returning to the victim’s home. The argument continued and Smith fired the gun at approximately 35 yards.
The pellets ricocheted, hitting the victim in the chest and face. As a result, the victim now has a swollen eye socket and was informed he could lose his eyesight.
The victim’s mother claims to have caught the incident on her Ring camera, though Det. Houston testified he had not viewed the recording.
A not guilty plea was entered on Smith’s behalf during his arraignment with bond also set at $75,000.
When Croucher mentioned this could have been self defense, Judge Chappell agreed that the victim in question did not “sound innocent” based on the allegations mentioned. However, he disagreed with the attorney’s argument.
“At 35 yards, that’s a little bit soon to be self-defending,” said Judge Chappell.
He sent both cases to the grand jury for Feb. 21 at 9 a.m.