LAUREL COUNTY, KY - Authorities believe a man in his twenties kidnapped his girlfriend and her friend before fatally shooting them when the woman made it clear she wanted to break up.
The alleged suspect, 21-year-old James Priddy, is believed to have killed 18-year-old Jadeance Hale and 19-year-old Lila Asher before killing himself, the Laurel County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) said in a statement.
At approximately 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, the sheriff's office was contacted by the Barbourville Police Department (BPD) and told that officers were following a red Chevrolet Cobalt "regarding a reported possible domestic violence complaint," Law & Crime reported.
Police said parents "became concerned" after three people had left a Barbourville home "to go get something to eat." Hale was apparently Priddy's girlfriend, and Asher was with the couple because Hale wanted support.
Hale planned to breakup with Priddy, according to police. Her mother had reportedly called 911 sobbing, saying her daughter and a friend were with a man in a vehicle and that he wouldn't let them leave. "She tells me that they got proof that this female has been trying to leave him all day. Trying to get her," according to audio from a dispatcher. "This male has took off with her."
Police caught up with the vehicle, but its driver "failed to stop." As the vehicle continued to race away, authorities tried to box it in, and the Chevy "struck a vehicle and stopped."
When deputies went to the windows to look inside, they saw that all three occupants were dead. "All indications are that apparently James Priddy shot and killed Hale and Asher, then killed himself," the sheriff's office said.
A GoFundMe set up for Hale and Asher states that they were "two vibrant young women whose lives were tragically cut short."
"Their sudden loss has left their families and friends in shock, struggling to find the words and strength to move forward," the fundraiser adds. The women "shared a deep bond, always wanting to be together, and their loved ones are determined to honor that wish by holding their funerals side by side."
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
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