LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The year is winding down, so let's take a look at the stories on WDRB.com that our readers visited the most in 2023.
There was no shortage of big stories this year, from crime and business news to feature stories that warm your heart.
Without further ado, here are the top 10 stories read on WDRB.com in 2023:
10. JCPS principal arrested at Louisville middle school on his first day on the job
Leroy Littles Sr., 44, started in March as the principal at Olmsted Academy North. But on his first day on the job, Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies served a warrant for Littles' arrest at the school.
The warrant issued by the Bullitt County Attorney's Office was for charges of 4th degree assault and 3rd degree terroristic threatening, stemming from a domestic incident on Christmas Day.
A Hillview Police report said a man was leaving his home with his ex-girlfriend, when her new boyfriend, Littles, pulled up and began arguing with her. Littles allegedly assaulted the man and left him with injuries on his face and head.
The victim was checked by EMS at the scene and was advised to go to a hospital for treatment.
Hillview Police said when they arrived at the scene on Dec. 25, Littles was already gone.
Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies served a warrant for the arrest stemming from a domestic incident on Christmas Day 2022.
9. Local pool company owner, husband charged with fraud and theft
Dozens of victims claim Davenport Extreme Pools and Spas took their money but didn't build their pools. The company was the focus of a WDRB investigation in January.
Months later, Tracy Davenport and her husband, Matthew Davenport turned themselves in at the Clark County jail.
Police said they're each charged in Clark County with four counts of theft, four counts of fraud and two counts of corrupt business influence — all felony charges.
There are also victims in Kentucky who claim the same thing, that the company took their money but never built a pool.
Dozens of victims in Indiana and Kentucky claim Davenport Extreme Pools and Spas took their money, but didn't build their pools.
8. President of large Louisville manufacturing company arrested, accused of theft and fraud
John Christopher Gibbs, the president and CEO of GIM, was arrested in June and charged with multiple counts of theft, fraud and corrupt business influence.
Last November, GIM, Inc. announced they were expanding its Louisville services to Scottsburg. At that time, Scottsburg Mayor Terry Amick praised the new Scott County project. The plan was to build a 300,000-square-foot facility, which would've brought hundreds of jobs. However, workers said there was immediately some red flags.
Gibbs' victims included various contractors in southern Indiana and a locally based financial institution. There's more than $302,000 total in suspected fraudulent monies in the case.
He was arrested at a Simpsonville hotel that he was using as his residence. KSP also arrested Gibbs on related warrants from Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.
He was arrested by Kentucky State Police on Friday.
7. Louisville dog rescue asking for help after taking in dozens of dogs from Ohio puppy mill
Golden Retriever Rescue and Adoption of Needy Dogs, a Louisville group, found out in January that dozens of dogs in northern Ohio needed rescued from a puppy mill on an Amish farm near Cleveland. The day after the rescue, one of the pregnant dogs delivered a litter of nine puppies via emergency cesarean section. In total, GRRAND said they rescued 22 "adult breeder dogs," "whelped" 44 puppies, and the second pregnant dog due to deliver at the end of the month.
But with so many dogs, not enough space to put them and overflow locations full, GRRAND had to rent out a space at a kennel in south Louisville. Some of the dogs have never had exposure to or interaction with people, so the group looked for a certain type of home for them.
For more information about GRRAND and to look at adoptable dogs, click here. You can also call the agency at 866-981-2251 or email them at info@grrand.org.
Some of the dogs have never had exposure to or interaction with people, so the group is looking for a certain type of home for them.
6. Sazerac blames longtime distributor for store shortages, unpaid bills
Louisville-based whiskey-maker Sazerac Co. claims a distributor owes the company at least $38 million — with the tab set to grow by tens of millions — as the result of a soured relationship between two large, privately held firms.
Sazerac claims Republic — a wholesaler of its products— hasn’t paid for nearly $40 million in inventory following Sazerac’s move at the end of 2022 to terminate its relationship with Republic in 30 states. The tab is set to grow by $48 million if Republic continues to refuse to pay Sazerac’s invoices, according to the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, Sazerac claims, among other things:
- Republic failed to market Sazerac’s products sufficiently, forcing Sazerac to invest $100 million to create its own "marketing force."
- Republic used the highly sought-after Pappy Van Winkle bourbon to force retailers to buy non-Sazerac products as a condition of receiving Pappy.
Spokespeople for Republic and for Sazerac declined to comment.
The parent of Kentucky's Buffalo Trace Distillery claims distributor Republic National Distributing Co. owes it $38 million and counting after the two private companies' relationship went sour.
5. Louisville woman found chained up in home near Park Hill neighborhood shares her story of survival
A 37-year-old Louisville woman was found chained and locked up inside a home near the Park Hill and Algonquin neighborhoods off Dixie Highway.
Louisville Metro Police said officers responded to the home on Bolling Avenue around 7 p.m. after getting calls from neighbors about a woman screaming for help. LMPD said officers saw Wilson "in distress" from a second-story window. Video of her rescue captured by neighbors went viral online.
"I said, 'This is my only time, if I didn't get free now, I'll be dead,'" Jonna Wilson said in an interview with WDRB News. "He made me strip naked, he put the chain around my neck, he called his friend and said, 'I've got to take this equipment back to Lowe's. When I come back, I'm going to kill you.' I only had a few minutes to get out."
LMPD said the front door of the home was barricaded. Officers had to use a ladder to get inside, where they found Wilson chained to the floor with the chain around her neck, secured with a MasterLock. Police said the chain was bolted to the floor with screws and officers had to rip it up to rescue Wilson.
Jonna Wilson was rescued by police and firefighters Wednesday inside a home near the Park Hill and Algonquin neighborhoods off Dixie Highway.
4. Bullitt County woman charged with murder in shooting deaths of her 2 young sons
A 32-year-old Bullitt County woman is charged with two counts of murder after two children — 6- and 9-year-old boys — were shot and killed.
According to the Bullitt County Sheriff's Office, the shooting happened just after 11 a.m. in the 200 block of Bentwood Drive in a residential area near Shepherdsville. Both boys were taken by ambulance to Norton Children's Hospital with a police escort, where they later died.
The boys' mother, 32-year-old Tiffanie Lucas, was arrested that afternoon. According to her arrest citation, a witness at the scene told police Lucas shot the boys.
She's charged with two counts of murder, though police have released few details on what actually happened.
Neighbors who live close by the home said the two children were playing with neighborhood kids the night before. They said Lucas was seen frantically cleaning carpets, and when they asked how she was, said "a lot going on.
Both boys were taken by ambulance to Norton Children's Hospital with a police escort, where they later died.
3. Louisville shooter was employee of Old National Bank
The shooter who police said opened fire in a downtown Louisville bank branch in April was a low-level employee of the bank, according to his LinkedIn profile and Metro police.
Connor Sturgeon, 25, identified himself as "Syndications Associate and Portfolio Banker" at Old National Bank, which he joined fulltime in 2021 after three consecutive summer internships from 2018-20 while Sturgeon completed a master's degree in finance at the University of Alabama.
Monday's shooting at the bank's branch on the first floor of the Preston Pointe building at 333 E. Main St. left five people dead.. Nine patients were treated at University of Louisville Hospital, including two police officers, according to UofL Health.
Sturgeon used a rifle during the shooting, which was called in about 8:38 a.m. He died after gunfire exchanged with officers who responded, according to police.
Connor Sturgeon identified himself as “Syndications Associate and Portfolio Banker” at Old National Bank, which he joined fulltime in 2021 after three consecutive summer internships from 2018-2020 while Sturgeon completed a master's degree in finance at the University of Alabama.
2. Nelson County man charged for alleged involvement in 2015 death of Crystal Rogers
A Nelson County man was charged with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the death of Crystal Rogers.
Joseph L. Lawson, 32, pleaded not guilty in Nelson Circuit Court in September, and his bond was set at $500,000 cash. His indictment was the first in the case involving her murder. Rogers disappeared in 2015, and her body was never found.
The indictment, which does not mention Rogers by name, says the crime was committed in Nelson County on July 3 and/or July 4, 2015, when Lawson "agreed to aid one or more persons in the planning or commission of the crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit the crime when he, and/or, a co-conspirator intentionally caused the death of another."
Later that month, Brooks Houck, Rogers' longtime boyfriend, was arrested and charged with her murder.
Joseph L. Lawson, 32, pleaded not guilty in Nelson Circuit Court on Thursday to charges of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence
1. Family of Louisville shooter said he had 'mental health challenges' but 'no warning signs' of 'shocking' mass shooting
The family of Connor Sturgeon, the man who police say opened fire in a downtown Louisville bank branch killing five people Monday, said the 25-year-old struggled with depression, but they saw no signs he was planning or capable of such violence.
"While Connor, like many of his contemporaries, had mental health challenges which we, as a family, were actively addressing, there were never any warning signs or indications he was capable of this shocking act," according to a statement sent to WDRB News by the family.
"While we have many unanswered questions, we will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and do all we can to aid everyone in understanding why and how this happened."
Minutes before he opened fire, Sturgeon sent a text message to family members saying "I love you," an attorney for the family said.
Sturgeon's roommate had no idea he had bought a weapon and didn't know anything was amiss until he got a text from him Monday morning that he was suicidal. The roommate called Sturgeon's mother, who called 911.
Family members drove to the bank hoping to find him but "by the time they get there, it was too late," the attorney said.
"No words can express our sorrow, anguish, and horror at the unthinkable harm our son Connor inflicted on innocent people, their families, and the entire Louisville community," according to his family.
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