In the small community of Grahn, Kentucky, the life of 81-year-old Bradley 'Vernon' Duncan, a respected white male known for his woodworking skills and dedication to his family, was brought to a tragic and violent end. On the morning of October 7, 2018, a verbal altercation escalated to a fatal confrontation inside his Olive Hill home.
The dispute was with his grandson-in-law, Matthew Kelley, who was 28 at the time.
Shortly before 2:00 a.m., the argument culminated in Kelley fatally shooting Duncan. When authorities arrived at the residence, they found Duncan deceased.
Kelley was promptly taken into custody and charged with murder. He was lodged in the Carter County Detention Center without bond. The case against him grew more complex in the following years. In July 2019, while incarcerated, Kelley was accused of attempting to orchestrate the murders of two Kentucky State Troopers who were involved in the investigation of Duncan's death, as well as a potential witness in the case. These actions led to additional charges of solicitation to commit murder.
In February 2024, Matthew Kelley reached a plea agreement in the case of his grandfather-in-law's death. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Despite this plea, he still faced the charges related to the murder-for-hire plot, with a trial for those allegations scheduled for April 30, 2024. The resolution of Duncan's killing brought a measure of closure to a case that had deeply affected the quiet community.
