In the quiet community of Benham, Kentucky, a domestic dispute on a Saturday afternoon shattered the peace and ended in a tragic loss of life. On January 18, 2025, Charles Timothy Allison, a 63-year-old male, was found deceased outside of his residence on Hemlock Street. The tranquility of the neighborhood was broken by the sound of gunfire, prompting a response from the Kentucky State Police shortly before 1:00 p.m.
Upon their arrival, authorities discovered Charles Timothy Allison with
multiple gunshot wounds. Further investigation inside the home revealed a second tragedy. His son, 37-year-old Charles Adam Allison of Cumberland, was also found deceased. It was determined that the younger Allison had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The preliminary investigation by the Kentucky State Police pointed to a violent altercation between the father and son. Evidence suggested that the domestic dispute escalated, leading to the apparent murder-suicide. The Harlan County Coroner was called to the scene and pronounced both men dead. Their bodies were subsequently sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Frankfort for autopsies to officially determine the causes of death.
The investigation into the double fatality is ongoing, handled by the Kentucky State Police. They were assisted at the scene by the Benham and Cumberland Police Departments, as well as the Harlan County Coroner's Office and Lifeguard Ambulance Service. The incident left the local community in shock, marking a grim day as one of three separate shooting incidents that occurred in Harlan County over that weekend. In this tragic case, the investigation concluded that the suspect in Charles Timothy Allison's death was his son, who then took his own life.
