On a Tuesday evening in May of 2019, the quiet of a rural Scottsville, Kentucky community was broken by the discovery of a local man's body. Justin A. Wix, a 47-year-old White / Caucasian male, was found deceased near the driveway of his residence on Stinson Lane, close to the Tennessee state line. The tranquility of the area was shattered by the violent nature of his death; he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Allen County Coroner's Office.
Kentucky State Police were called to the scene and immediately began a homicide investigation into the death of the man born on March 22, 1972.
The investigation into the shooting death of Justin Wix continued for several months as detectives from the Kentucky State Police worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal encounter. As they delved deeper into the case, they began to focus on individuals from outside the immediate area. The trail eventually led them to Indiana, where they were able to identify potential suspects in connection with the murder that had shaken the small Kentucky town. The community mourned the loss of Mr. Wix, with a memorial service held on May 25, 2019, at Key Park in nearby Lafayette, Tennessee, reflecting on the life that had been abruptly and violently cut short.
In September of 2019, a significant breakthrough was made in the case, bringing a sense of resolution to a community still grappling with the violent crime. Kentucky State Police detectives secured arrest warrants for two individuals from Indiana. Sevonte Sumpter-Bay, a 20-year-old from Brownsburg, and Derek Lucas, a 21-year-old from Jamestown, were taken into custody in their home state. Along with the two men, a juvenile male was also apprehended in connection with the murder and robbery of Justin A. Wix. The collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in both Kentucky and Indiana were crucial in identifying and apprehending the suspects, bringing the investigation to a close and initiating the next chapter in the pursuit of justice for the victim and his family.
