On June 11, 2020, tragedy struck in the small community of Jeff in Perry County, Kentucky, resulting in the death of 46-year-old White male Johnny Newman. Newman, a resident of Lexington who had originally hailed from the area, had returned to Perry County that night. Around 1:00 a.m., Kentucky State Police Post 13 in Hazard, along with deputies from the Perry County Sheriff’s Office, were dispatched to a residence on KY Highway 7 following reports of a physical altercation involving
gunfire.
Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement discovered Newman deceased. The investigation revealed that Newman had gone to the home of Gary McQueen, where a verbal dispute quickly escalated into a violent confrontation. According to preliminary findings released by the Kentucky State Police, Newman allegedly armed himself with a baseball bat and a knife during the argument and advanced toward McQueen in a threatening manner. In the ensuing moments, McQueen, who was in possession of a firearm, discharged the weapon, striking Newman.
The Perry County Deputy Coroner, Jeff Combs, pronounced Newman dead at the scene. Following the incident, detectives consulted with the Perry County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office regarding the evidence collected. Authorities were advised to present the case to the Perry County Grand Jury for review once the investigation was complete, rather than making an immediate arrest at the scene. The body was scheduled for an autopsy at the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort to further aid the ongoing inquiry led by Detective Brandon Thomas.
