Body found in Bullitt County may be kidnapping victim

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bullitt County authorities are investigating a homicide in the Knob Creek area.

Authorities responded to the 3000 block of Weavers Run Road around 4 p.m. Saturday on reports of a dead body.

The Bullitt County Sheriff's Department said when they arrived on the scene in West Bullitt County they discovered a dead man about 10 feet from the guard rail. Authorities said he appeared to have been there less than 24 hours.

Authorities said they weren't sure whether the man had been killed somewhere else and driven to the location, or killed in the car. Based on evidence found at the scene, officials do believe the body was transported to the scene.

People who live nearby said loggers working in the area saw the body and reported it to police.

"They stopped and were going to look at it," said Rick Phillips who said the man told him he initially thought the body was a mannequin. "I guess they were going to pick it up and found out it was a body."

Rick and Jenice Phillip said they offered one of the loggers a ride to their car after authorities shut down the road. "The gentleman told us that he [the victim] looked beaten up. Like he had been beaten to death," said Jenice.

"He said the face was all smashed in, he had been beaten really bad," said Rick.

The Bullitt County Sheriff's Department told WDRB that they believe the homicide victim is the same man LMPD has been trying to track down in a kidnapping case.

LMPD homicide detective Lt. Todd Kessinger did not confirm the connection to any kidnapping case, but did confirm that LMPD was working in conjunction with the Bullitt County Sheriff in the homicide case.

Autopsy and fingerprint tests are pending. The sheriff's office could release the name of the victim soon.