In the summer of 2019, the community of Hazard, Kentucky, was rocked by the violent death of Zendall Noble Sr., a 58-year-old man known affectionately to some as 'Pie Daddy.' His life was cut short on June 11, 2019, in an incident involving law enforcement that unfolded in Perry County. Noble, a retired semi-truck driver for Eldorado Chemical Company, was a father and grandfather, remembered by those who knew him as outgoing, funny, and kind-hearted.
The fatal encounter occurred when
Kentucky State Police arrived to serve a search warrant in the vicinity of Noble's residence, reportedly related to 'suspected drug activity' at a neighboring home. During this operation, officers encountered individuals who then went into Noble's home. After a period of negotiation to have them come out, Zendall Noble Sr. emerged from his residence armed with a gun.
According to police accounts, officers ordered Noble to drop his weapon. When he refused to comply, an exchange of gunfire ensued. In the course of this exchange, Trooper Brad Martin fatally shot Zendall Noble Sr. The trooper himself sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the incident. Following the shooting, Trooper Martin was placed on routine administrative leave, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, while the investigation continued.
There have been no reports of other suspects or arrests in connection with Noble's death, as the official narrative points to the police encounter as the circumstance of his passing. The incident left the community to mourn the loss of a man described as a devoted son and father, whose grandchildren would now grow up without him. His funeral services were held a few days later at Maggard's Mountain View Chapel, with burial at Miller Cemetery in Lost Creek.
