A woman who was convicted and sentenced for 25 years in prison for plotting the murder of her family nearly 20 years ago, was found dead in her cell Wednesday morning.

Meg Wellnitz Appleton was found dead by prison guards in her cell at the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women in Pee Wee Valley, Wednesday shortly before 7 a.m.

A cause of death is still pending. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

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The former UK student pleaded guilty in 2005 to plotting the murders of her stepfather Joseph Wellnitz, her mother Beth and her brother Dennis, in their Adair County home in 1993.

In a 2008 interview with LEX 18, Appleton said she was forced into a confession.

“I felt like I had no choice. I was getting sent letters everyday about how I was gonna get the death penalty,” she said.

For years, 39-year-old William Harry Meece, Appleton’s co-defendant and the Lexington man currently on death row for carrying out the murders, has been in contact with LEX 18 through a series of letters and court documents.

In 2005, he sent LEX 18 Meg Appleton’s full interview with police, where she discusses why her mother despised Meece, and their plans to inherit her family’s farm and collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance money.

Also during the interview, Appleton admits she knew about Meece’s plan to kill her family, though she never tried to stop him, never called the police, or told her parents.

In 2003, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years.

Bill Meece’s ex-wife, Regina Meade, said Thursday morning the news of Appleton’s death is a bit of a relief that she’ll never be released. Meade asked her prayers be passed along for Meg’s family, and adds that she hopes Meg found peace in prison.

Meg’s stepfather, mother and brother at their Adair County farm for a half million dollars in insurance money.

Meece is awaiting execution for carrying out the crimes.

The Kentucky State Police in Dry Ridge have issued a Golden Alert for a missing 70-year-old man.

Police say Garland Daugherty was last seen at his Williams Road home in Augusta. Officials say he suffers from dementia and needs medication.

Police say Daugherty is driving a red 2004 Dodge Dakota with Kentucky license 775MBZ. He might head to Wakulla County Florida, but also has friends in Ohio.

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Daugherty stands about 5’5″ and is bald. He has blue eyes and wears glasses. He has a tattoo of a knife on his right forearm and a tattoo of a panther on his left forearm.

If you see Daugherty or have information on his whereabouts, call KSP at 1-800-222-5555.

A week-long operation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Unit targeting individuals seeking children online for sex resulted in 22 arrests.

During Operation Be Mine, detectives posed as children, or parents of children, in online chat forums.

Individuals then solicited the detectives for sex and arrangements were made to meet at a vacant home in Clermont for what they believed would result in sex with a child, according to a release.

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As the suspects arrived at the home, they were taken into custody, authorities said.

Investigators said 47-year-old David Griffith of Minneola told them he had been recently making plans to meet a 7-year-old for sex in another county.

Conversations between Griffith and the child’s mother were found in his email that supported his claim. Law enforcement in that area launched an investigation and the child was located.

According to a news release, it was determined that the mother of the 7-year-old had sexually abused her. An investigation is still ongoing.

Deputies said an Orange County Fire Rescue paramedic brought latex gloves when he arrived at the home where he thought he was meeting a 16-year-old.

Belal Shofique, 33, is charged with soliciting a child for sexual acts, traveling to meet a minor and procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution.

Patrick Holgerson, 32, Joel Torres, 32, and Robert Kingsolver, 49, all listed their employer as Walt Disney World.

Investigators said Torres brought condoms to the home where he thought he was meeting a 14-year-old. He is charged with soliciting a child for sexual acts, traveling to meet a minor and attempted lewd and lascivious battery.

Holgerson faces several charges including failing to disclose HIV status to a sexual partner.

According to deputies, Tyler Edge brought a knife and condoms, while Alexander Vorobets brought a Happy Meal and condoms to meet children under the age of 15.

Three vehicles were seized during the operation.

A child with Down Syndrome was found abandoned in an empty Louisville apartment Monday.

Police said the 6-year-old girl walked through her neighbor’s open door. The neighbor said the girl was covered in her own waste, and that there was no one in the apartment where the girl lives.

WAVE3 News in Louisville reports aid was available for the girl and her mother, but apparently, the woman stopped asking for help once her daughter was too old to attend a program she had been enrolled in previously.

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Police said the girl had been abandoned for days.

“It really makes me angry because I could never imagine leaving my children, especially one with a disability, by herself,” said neighbor Anna Johnson. “She gave me a big hug, and I was like ‘where’s mommy?’ ”

Home of the Innocents has taken the girl and a foster parent with ties to the organization will be her caregiver.

No charges have been filed against the mother at this time, but police are continuing their investigation

The FBI is assisting Oakland authorities with their investigation of a carjacking and kidnapping Tuesday afternoon.

FBI spokesman Peter D. Lee said by telephone Tuesday evening that the agency is acting in a supporting role.

Earlier Tuesday, Oakland police warned the public to stay away from a carjacked vehicle that was being driven by one victim and carrying a teenage girl.

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Oakland police said the carjacking occurred outside a grocery store.

Witnesses said someone with a knife forced the occupant – an older man – to drive away with the teenager in the rear seat.

Watson said the girl was believed to be 13. An Amber Alert was issued.

Police Tuesday night asked people to be on the lookout for a red sedan with the California license plate number 6JFM648.

Police are searching for a 15-year-old girl who was last seen at Santa Fe High School on Monday.

Gulissa Venzor’s parents told police she ran away from home on Saturday, but investigators became worried about her safety when she didn’t show up for school on Tuesday.

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Police describe Venzor as Hispanic, 5’5″ tall and 117 pounds with brown hair and brown highlighted hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Michele Williams at (505-955)-5227.

Two gas station robbers either may have given police the information that helps find them or found a clever way to throw off detectives.

By all accounts, the robbery was like any other: the men rush in, threaten the clerk working with a large knife and demand all the money out of the register.

But there’s also something about this case that makes it very different.

“Both were wearing masks over their face, but both were wearing pretty distinct clothing,” Lexington Police Department Detective Franz Wolff said.

Their clothing is what police hope get them locked up.

One was wearing head to toe camouflage including a Cabella’s store hooded sweatshirt but the other was wearing what looks to be a maroon, letterman’s jacket with the name “Cody” embroidered on the front.

“During the robbery, one of the individuals referred to the second individual by the name of Jason,” Wolff said.

They’re believed to be driving a red, older model Jeep Cherokee.

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With all the clues, a starting point has been given to detectives and they are willing to pay $1,000 if anyone can fill in the blanks.

If you do have any information, give Crime Stoppers a call at (859) 253-2020.