In the quiet community of Radcliff, Kentucky, a grim discovery was made on March 12, 2021, shattering the peace of a scenic neighborhood. The body of 27-year-old Angela Dawn Kerr, a female resident of nearby Big Clifty, was found unclothed and lifeless outside a home on Scenic Drive. She had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and it was later determined that the fatal assault occurred inside the residence before her body was moved outdoors.
Investigators noted that her clothing had been forcibly cut from her body.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on a suspect: 31-year-old Joseph Eugene Meredith of Radcliff. Meredith, a convicted felon who had been released from prison just two months prior for burglary and robbery, had recently become acquainted with Kerr. He was apprehended by law enforcement approximately seven hours after the discovery of Kerr's body, only a few blocks from the crime scene. At the time of his arrest, Meredith was in possession of the handgun believed to be the weapon used in the murder.
Subsequent legal proceedings revealed the tragic details of Angela Kerr's final moments. An argument had erupted between Kerr and Meredith over text messages she had received from another man. This confrontation escalated with Meredith shooting Kerr multiple times. In a horrifying turn of events, it was revealed in court that Meredith had sexually assaulted Kerr's body after her death and recorded the act.
In August 2022, a Hardin County jury found Joseph Eugene Meredith guilty of murder, abuse of a corpse, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. The jury recommended a total sentence of 70 years in prison: 30 years for the murder, 20 years for possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, and another 20 years for the abuse of a corpse, with the sentences to be served consecutively. Meredith will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years. Angela Kerr, described by her father as a loving and kind person with a heart of gold, was a mother to two young children.
