In the summer of 2021, the community of Cadiz, Kentucky, was shaken by the discovery of two of its residents deceased in a home on Cerulean Road. On the morning of July 3rd, authorities were called to the residence where they found 28-year-old Matthew Blakeley and his 76-year-old great-aunt, Mildred Sue Allen Faris, both having succumbed to gunshot wounds.
The tragic event launched an immediate and intensive investigation by the Kentucky State Police.
Matthew, known to his friends and family as Matt, was a newlywed, having married his wife, Bobbie Jo, just a few months prior on April 1st of that year. He was remembered for his outgoing personality and his love for making people laugh. An employee at Metalsa as a press operator for the previous five years, Matt was also an avid golfer and a dedicated fan of the Miami Dolphins. His sudden and violent death, alongside his great-aunt, left his family and the tight-knit community in profound shock and grief.
As detectives delved into the circumstances surrounding the double homicide, a person of interest quickly emerged: 29-year-old Landon D. Stinson, who was identified as a relative of the victims. A search for Stinson was initiated, and he was soon located and apprehended in Los Angeles, California, on July 5th. Following his arrest, Stinson was questioned by Kentucky State Police detectives who had traveled to California.
After being extradited back to Kentucky, Landon Stinson was indicted by a grand jury in December 2021 on two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Matthew Blakeley and Mildred Faris. He was lodged in the Christian County Jail with a bond set at $2 million. The legal proceedings began to unfold, with a trial date eventually set for September 2023, marking the next chapter in the pursuit of justice for Matthew and his great-aunt.
