In the early hours of a Wednesday morning in the quiet, rural community of Waddy, Kentucky, a call reporting gunshots shattered the calm. On February 20, 2019, deputies from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence on Bardstown Trail, where a grim scene awaited them. Outside the home, they discovered an injured man on the ground. Inside, they found the body of 53-year-old William M. Riddell, a male resident of the home. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The injured man found outside was transported to a local hospital and later released; authorities did not publicly identify him, considering him a potential witness.
The investigation into what was quickly deemed a homicide was turned over to the Kentucky State Police. Their efforts soon pointed to a suspect who knew Riddell, though the full extent of their relationship was not immediately made clear. Later that same day, investigators identified Brian Myers, a 41-year-old man from Willisburg, as the primary suspect. Troopers from Post 12 in Frankfort located Myers' vehicle on the Bluegrass Parkway and initiated a traffic stop.
Brian Myers was arrested without incident and subsequently charged with the murder of William M. Riddell. He was lodged in the Shelby County Detention Center. While an autopsy was scheduled to determine the official cause of Riddell's death, investigators expressed a strong suspicion as to how he died. The motive for the killing was not disclosed by law enforcement in the initial days of the ongoing investigation. Friends and neighbors remembered William, known to some as 'Moe,' as a self-employed drywall contractor who enjoyed playing horseshoes and drawing.
