62-year-old woman found dead near Radcliff in Hardin County's first homicide this year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Authorities in Hardin County are investigating the first homicide in the county this year.

According to Sheriff John Ward, a woman was found dead inside a home just east of Radcliff on April 13.

Ward said police were sent to the home of 62-year-old Lana Jantz in the 900 block of Oak Drive just before the storms blew through Wednesday night.

Jantz's neighbor, Joe Wright, requested a "welfare check" after not seeing Jantz most of the day and unable to get a hold of her.

“She was over here almost every single day," said Wright. "That's how we knew something wasn't right."

Deputies found Jantz's body in a shed behind her house. Ward said she died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Wright told WDRB News there were "drag marks" where Jantz was left, saying that he doesn't think she was killed in the shed.

Wright also described her body as unrecognizable.

It's the first homicide for Hardin County in 2022.

"We live in a great community and unfortunately things like this do occur," said Ward.

Ward said Jantz was likely killed sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

"The autopsy and looking at all the facts in the case it was soon determined we did have a homicide investigation," said Ward.

Ward said the Hardin County Sheriff's Office is "pursuing all leads and added that, "it was not a random act of violence."

"In all indication, she enjoyed her animals, seemed to be a very nice lady, really didn't bother anybody," Ward said.

Jantz had two dogs, Daisy and Rosie. Wright and his wife are now taking care of the pets.

"She was a beautiful woman that did nothing to no one and loved everybody," Wright said. "This never happened in this neighborhood. We're going to do everything we can to find out who murdered her.

Wright said Jantz served in the military for many years.

"There was no reason for it," Wright said.

Anyone with any information or who saw anything unusual in the area last week is asked to call the Hardin County Sheriff's Department at 270-737-5669.

"You might not realize something is out of place, that you saw something that shouldn't have been, if any of the neighbors might have saw anything unusual around that residence or area at that time, they should contact the sheriff's office," Ward said. "We're trying to determine why anybody would have done this to her."