In the quiet town of Paintsville, Kentucky, a tragic event unfolded, leaving a community in mourning and a family shattered. Richard Morman, a 56-year-old male, was killed on September 9, 2022, in a violent shooting incident that also claimed the lives of two other individuals. The incident took place at a residence on Depot Street, where all three victims were discovered and pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the triple homicide led police to 21-year-old Ronnie Pack,
also of Paintsville, who was identified as the suspect. Following the discovery of the victims, Pack was taken into custody on the same day. During his arrest, Pack was injured in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement and was transported to a local hospital for treatment before being transferred to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center. He was subsequently charged with three counts of murder and one count of first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer.
Further details revealed a familial connection between the victims and the suspect. Richard Morman was the uncle of Ronnie Pack. The other victims were identified as 56-year-old Paula Wells and 36-year-old Myrtle 'Renee' Dorton-Pack, who was Ronnie Pack's wife and Wells' niece. In September 2024, Ronnie R. Pack, then 23, pleaded guilty to three counts of murder. As a result of a mediation, the Commonwealth's Attorney recommended a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years. Testimony from a detective at a 2022 preliminary hearing revealed that in addition to being shot, Richard Morman's throat had been slit.
