On a tragic Friday afternoon in Alexandria, Kentucky, the life of 47-year-old Brian Scott Cornelius was cut short in a violent shooting that also claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy. The incident, which occurred on November 8, 2019, on Cottonwood Court, left another man seriously injured and a family irrevocably fractured. The alleged gunman, 18-year-old Richard Fessler, was later taken into custody and faced multiple charges, including two counts of murder and one count of attempted
murder.
The male victims of the fatal shooting were revealed to be related to the suspect. Brian Cornelius was Fessler's uncle, and the 14-year-old was his half-brother. The third victim, Derek Johnson, who was 37 at the time and survived the attack, was identified as the fiancé of Fessler's cousin. The close familial ties between the alleged shooter and the victims added a devastating layer to the already senseless act of violence that shook the quiet community.
In the aftermath of the killings, Richard Fessler was apprehended by police following a search that lasted approximately 10 hours. He was found on Washington Trace Road after abandoning his car in a nearby cul-de-sac. Fessler later appeared in Campbell County District Court via video monitor for his initial hearing. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf, a standard procedure for felony charges, and the judge set his bond at a steep $1 million. As the legal proceedings began, a motive for the shooting had not yet been disclosed by law enforcement, leaving a grieving family and a concerned public searching for answers. The brother of Brian Cornelius, James Cornelius, expressed his profound grief and anger, referring to Fessler as an 'animal' who belongs 'in a cage.'
