In the summer of 2016, a shocking act of violence shattered the tranquility of a rural Kentucky community and brought a tragic end to the life of an elderly man. Ray L. Ligon, an 83-year-old male from Bardwell, Kentucky, died on July 1, 2016, from a gunshot wound inflicted by his wife, Martha A. Ligon. Remembered as a quiet and gentle man with a never-ending smile, he was a lifelong farmer who had served his country in the United States Air Force.
His death was the culmination of a bizarre and violent series of events that unfolded on a state highway in Carlisle County.
The incident began for reasons that remain unclear, with Martha Ligon following another vehicle to a private residence. There, she reportedly exited her car and fired a gun at several people, though no one was injured in that initial confrontation. After this, she and her husband drove away. At some point, their vehicle stopped on State Highway 307 North, and it was there that Martha shot her husband in the neck. A 28-year-old man who happened upon the stopped car was also shot by Martha Ligon, sustaining a non-life-threatening injury to his shoulder.
Following the shootings, law enforcement received a call about a woman with a gun. When a state trooper arrived at the intersection of State Highway 1173 and 307 North, they found Martha Ligon holding a handgun. She complied with the officer's command to drop the weapon and was taken into custody. A short distance away, her husband was found in the passenger seat of their car with a gunshot wound. Ray L. Ligon was transported to a hospital in Evansville, Indiana, where he succumbed to his injuries later that evening.
Martha A. Ligon was arrested and subsequently charged with murder and attempted murder. She was held at the McCracken County Jail as the investigation into the tragic death of her husband continued. The case later proceeded through the legal system, with Martha Ligon being ruled competent to stand trial. The violent and unexpected nature of the crime left the community in a state of shock, mourning the loss of a respected member and grappling with the disturbing circumstances of his death.
