Maurice Laverne 'Vern' Elliott, a 63-year-old man, was in Lexington, Kentucky on the day after Christmas in 2024, when his life was abruptly cut short. Just before 2 p.m. on December 26th, a burst of gunfire erupted outside a laundromat located on the 400 block of Newtown Pike. When the sound of the shots faded, Elliott had been struck. Emergency services were called to the scene, and he was quickly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of his critical injuries. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Maurice Elliott succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead later that day. His death marked the 21st homicide of the year in Fayette County.
The investigation into the shooting death of Maurice Elliott began immediately, with the Lexington Police Department leading the inquiry. As detectives processed the scene and interviewed potential witnesses, a suspect was identified in connection with the fatal shooting. The individual sought by law enforcement was 54-year-old Shawn Blanks. In the weeks that followed the incident, Blanks became the subject of a manhunt and was featured as the most wanted person of the week by Bluegrass Crime Stoppers on January 15, 2025.
The search for the man accused of ending Maurice Elliott's life concluded on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. On that day, members of the Lexington Police Department located and arrested Shawn Blanks. He was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. Following his arrest, Blanks was booked into the Fayette County Detention Center.
