On a cold December day in 2021, the community of Cadiz, Kentucky, was shaken by a grim discovery that would unravel a tale of violence and betrayal. The body of 34-year-old Candace Danielle Locklear Marcel was found inside an abandoned vehicle on Cerulean Road in Trigg County on December 9th. The ensuing investigation by the Kentucky State Police would lead them to a residence on Clearman Court in the nearby city of Hopkinsville, where the tragic story deepened.
Inside the Hopkinsville
home, investigators discovered the body of 35-year-old Stanley Bussell, who was the registered owner of the car in which Candace's body was found. Both victims had been shot, with the medical examiner later confirming that Candace died from a gunshot wound to the head. The investigation into this double homicide quickly pointed towards one man: Bobby Spikes, a 49-year-old from Hopkinsville who had been in a relationship with Candace.
Witnesses revealed a troubled history between Spikes and Marcel, including a breakup in November 2021 that led to threatening behavior from Spikes. In one reported incident, Spikes allegedly dragged Candace across her front yard after a gunshot was heard. As the investigation progressed, Spikes was arrested and charged with the murders of both Candace Marcel and Stanley Bussell.
The legal proceedings brought more details to light, including the involvement of Bobby Spikes' son, Kendall Spikes. Kendall eventually entered a guilty plea to charges of complicity to tampering with physical evidence and hindering prosecution. He admitted to helping his father and testified against him, stating that his father had confessed to killing Marcel and had tossed the handgun out of a car window as they drove near Lover's Lane.
In September 2025, Bobby Spikes stood trial in Christian County Circuit Court. After a four-day trial, the jury found him guilty on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. Despite maintaining his innocence and claiming to have loved both victims, Spikes was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders. During the sentencing, Candace's father, Clifton Douglas Locklear, expressed the profound and senseless loss his family has endured.
