A Pulaski County pastor accused of killing three people back in September in Boyle County was denied bail in a hearing Monday morning.
Kenneth “Allen” Keith has been locked up since October 9, when he was charged with three counts of murder in connection with the shooting deaths of Mike and Angela Hockensmith and their client, Daniel Smith. The shootings happened the morning of September 20, inside the Hockensmith couple’s Danville store, “ABC Gold, Games, & More.” Their two young children were there at the time.
During Monday’s hearing, it was revealed that Keith allegedly used a .22 caliber pistol and larger caliber pistol in murder.
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The defense asked if the boy who called 911 after the shootings, the son of the Hockensmiths, saw one or possibly all of the killings, a detective said yes. The detective was also asked whether or not Keith has the means to flee, and the detective said he is not sure if Keith has a passport, but also said Keith does not have a prior record.
According to staff at the Pulaski County Detention Center, when the pastor arrived at the jail on the October 9, he had just been treated at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital. The staff said they had been told he cut his neck, possibly with a can, while being questioned by police.
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office was not involved, but Sheriff told LEX 18 that he saw Keith at the hospital that night with a gash on his neck from what appeared to be a “suicide attempt.”
While Danville Police are handling the triple murder investigation, Chief Tony Gray said he believed the situation happened at the Somerset Police Department. He left it up to Somerset Police to comment on other details, including how this could have happened. Somerset Police have not commented.
“Why would a person not guilty do something like that? It just shows he must be guilty, I believe,” Mike Hockensmith’s father, Duke Lewis told LEX 18 Wednesday over the phone. “I’m not the judge. He’ll be judged when he does pass away and, if this is true about him, he needs to find God.”
Attorney Mark Stanziano represents Keith. He claimed he was not aware of any suicide attempt involving his client.
Keith has been indicted on three counts of murder, one count of robbery, and one count of burglary. He entered a not guilty plea to the charges.
