Lupe Victoria McGranahan, a 64-year-old Hispanic female, entered into rest on January 19, 2021, at her home in Morgantown, Kentucky. A retired employee of Houchens Industries and a member of the Impact Church in Bowling Green, she was known for her love of cooking and traveling, but above all, for the time she cherished with her family, especially her children and grandchildren. Both she and her husband, Charles, were known for their big hearts and their willingness to help and care for others.
On that tragic Tuesday morning, the Butler County Sheriff's Office responded to a call at the McGranahan residence on Lonnie Snodgrass Road. Inside, they discovered a horrific scene. Lupe, her 79-year-old husband Charles William 'Chuck' McGranahan, and their 30-year-old daughter Angela Raquel McGranahan Carey had all been shot multiple times. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators found Lupe's body about eight feet inside the home, while her daughter Angela was found in the front doorway, and her husband Charles was located near a kitchen island. An estimated 30 rounds had been fired.
Present at the home when law enforcement arrived was Angela's 32-year-old husband, Joseph M. Carey. He was detained at the scene and subsequently arrested. According to court testimony, Carey, who had been served with divorce papers a month prior, confessed to multiple law enforcement officers that he had shot his estranged wife and her parents. Tragically, three children were in the home at the time of the shootings. Following his grandmother's instructions upon Carey's arrival, two of the children hid in a bathroom closet. After the shootings, Carey reportedly kicked open the bathroom door and escorted the two children out of the house.
Joseph M. Carey was initially charged with one count of murder-domestic violence, two counts of murder, and three counts of wanton endangerment. A grand jury later indicted him on three counts of murder, three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, and one count each of first-degree burglary and tampering with physical evidence. The prosecution filed its intent to seek the death penalty. In July 2022, Carey pleaded guilty to all charges. Following the plea agreement, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
