10 years after Jason Ellis' death, Bardstown community remains united through tragedy

BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- Ten years, hundreds of tips, and thousands of dollars but still, no arrests in the murder of Bardstown Police officer Jason Ellis.

Thursday evening, the town gathered to mourn once again, as they remain united through the tragedy.

The procession is taking the Bluegrass Parkway exit 34, where Officer Ellis died, on the way to his gravesite @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/h4QiWBdaFC
— Conroy Delouche (@ConroyDelouche) May 25, 2023

Ellis was shot and killed when he was ambushed on May 25, 2013, near the Bluegrass Parkway. His image, forever frozen in a smile wearing the Bardstown Police uniform, a city he proudly embraced.

"He fit right in just as if he went to school here," former Bardstown Police Chief Rick McCubbin said.

Ten years later, the city he loved still loves him.

"The resolve of this community and the law enforcement community at large is steadfast," said current Bardstown Police Chief Kim Kraeszig.

IMAGES | 10 years after Jason Ellis' death, Bardstown community remains united through tragedy

But, after all this time, his killer remains unknown.

"None of us thought we would be here, 10 years later, with no answers," said Amy (Ellis) Brown, Ellis' widow, who has since remarried.

His surviving loved ones still have many questions about who did it, and why.

"The person, or people, responsible for taking Jason from us have had their 10 years, but for us, it's still day one," Kelly Eastman, Ellis' sister, said.

His life journey ended while clearing brush at an exit on the Bluegrass Parkway, where a memorial now rests in his honor as you make the turn toward Highview Cemetery where Ellis is buried.

"May we never forget Jason's sacrifice, and may his memory continue to inspire us all," Bardstown's assistant chief of police said.

Justice remains elusive, but determination to find Ellis' killer is not.

"We will not rest until the truth is revealed, justice is served, and you're in handcuffs," said Kraeszig.

That's why the officer's widow said the journey, taken Thursday evening from the police station to Ellis' final resting place, will continue.

"I refuse to let evil, bitterness, and anger take root within our hearts or let it overshadow his life," Brown said.

Ten years on paper, one day for many in Bardstown, grief remains heavy, but Ellis' legacy lives on.

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10 years after Jason Ellis' death, Bardstown community remains united through tragedy