Louisville police charge man with murder, sexual misconduct in connection to teenage girl's fatal shooting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville police have arrested a 20-year-old man in connection to the murder of a 15-year-old girl in January in the Algonquin neighborhood.

Louisville Metro Police said Monday that officers arrested Adrian King on Crittenden Drive near the University of Louisville. He was taken into custody "without incident" just after 2:30 p.m., police said.

King is charged with the murder of Dovia Pernell, a 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed outside an apartment on Patton Court, just off South 13th Street.

The shooting happened around 10:45 a.m. on Jan. 29.

"It's always a concern, especially in broad daylight," LMPD spokesperson Dwight Mitchell said at the scene after the shooting. "And before noon is always going to be a concern, especially when it appears to be another senseless death that's happened here."

Dovia was shot in the back of the head, according to court records. Surveillance footage showed King "walking toward where the victim was residing with a handgun." King was then seen walking with the victim toward his residence. A short time later, Pernell was seen without the victim, and police were called.

"We are devastated by the loss of our daughter but to learn that she lost her life at the hands of someone she may have believed cared about her makes it all the more painful," Dovia's family said in a written statement Tuesday. "Our family is relieved King has now been arrested so he can hopefully be prevented from victimizing any other children and we are hopeful that justice will be done for Dovia. In our minds, King is a coward and we look forward to him being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for his horrendous actions and callous disregard for our daughter’s young life."

Investigators said King had threatened to kill Dovia on his social media account, which also "had three videos of the victim and defendant engaged in sexual acts." Police said King distributed the video seven times.

In addition to murder, King is also charged with sexual misconduct, promoting a minor under 16 in a sex performance and distribution of matter portraying sexual performance of a minor.

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