LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB/WKYT) — The federal trial of a man charged in connection with two Kentucky overdose deaths was rescheduled for a second time after his defense attorney withdrew from the case.
Brian Epperson's new defense attorney filed a motion July 21 to delay his scheduled Aug. 3 trial by 60 days.
That motion was granted, moving the trial to Nov. 2, giving the defense longer than the requested 60 days to prepare.
This comes after Epperson's previous defense attorney, Rachel Yavelak, filed a motion requesting to step away from representing him over alleged online posts by Kaylieb Thompson, the fiancé of one of the women whose death is tied to the case.
Epperson is charged with distributing drugs that resulted in the overdose deaths of Reacheal Dawson and Kristen Morris. If convicted, he faces 20 years to life in prison.
Dawson disappeared in June 2025 after leaving her home for a walk in rural Kentucky. Her family later tracked her phone to a Red Roof Inn in Winchester, where detectives found her dead. Morris died the month before in another hotel room rented by Epperson.
A third woman, Hilory Davis, also died in similar circumstances in 2024 after being found in a hotel room Epperson had booked, but her death wasn't included in his charges.
This story may be updated.
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