In December 2022, the life of 32-year-old Amberly Nicole Harris was tragically cut short in her Independence, Kentucky, apartment. Her death, which occurred around December 15, was not discovered until her employer requested a welfare check after she failed to show up for work for several days. When police arrived at her Beechgrove Drive residence, they were met by her 55-year-old live-in boyfriend, Tommy Joe Powell, who immediately confessed to the crime.
Upon entering the apartment, officers found Harris deceased in a bedroom from what was later determined to be a gunshot wound to the head. Powell admitted to killing her several days prior and had been living in the apartment with her body. The scene was described as gruesome by prosecutors, resembling something out of a horror movie. Powell was taken into custody at the scene and was later charged with murder – domestic violence.
The investigation into Harris's death revealed a history of domestic violence. Court records showed that Powell had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Harris in November 2021. In that incident, he had choked her to the point of blacking out during an argument over her social media use. A witness on the phone with Harris during the 2021 assault heard a male subject say, 'Die Bitch.' Further investigation into the murder uncovered that Powell had taken out a $20,000 accidental death and dismemberment insurance policy in Harris's name just weeks before her death, with him as the beneficiary.
Tommy Joe Powell was subsequently sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of Amberly Harris. Prosecutors pointed to the prior instances of domestic violence as a clear indication of his lack of remorse. While his attorney requested leniency due to his military service and an apology to Harris's family, the court handed down the life sentence.
