In the early morning hours of January 16, 2019, the life of 25-year-old Gary Wayne Medlin was tragically cut short. A resident of Barbourville, Kentucky, Medlin was at the A&B Quick Stop in Gray when a man named Phillip Lee Lewis entered the convenience store in an attempted robbery. Armed with a firearm, Lewis confronted Medlin. In an attempt to escape the dangerous situation, Medlin tried to flee the store. It was then that Lewis opened fire, shooting Medlin multiple times.
The young man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the fatal shooting, Lewis fled the scene on foot, sparking a manhunt that would last for several weeks. Law enforcement agencies collaborated in the search for the suspect. The investigation led them to Flint, Michigan, where Lewis was located and apprehended on February 8, 2019. A joint task force, which included the Michigan State Police, U.S. Marshals, and the FBI, was instrumental in his capture. After his arrest, Lewis was extradited to Knox County, Kentucky, to face charges for the murder and robbery.
Once in custody, Phillip Lee Lewis initially made statements to the media denying his culpability, claiming, 'I do not kill. I steal. I am not no killer.” However, in March 2020, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Gary Medlin. This plea was part of an agreement for a recommended sentence of 35 years in prison. In July 2020, a judge accepted the plea agreement, and Lewis was formally sentenced to 35 years for the senseless killing. The resolution of the case brought a measure of justice for a life taken too soon, leaving a family and community to mourn the loss of a young man.
