In the quiet community of Viper, Kentucky, a family argument escalated to a fatal conclusion, leaving a son dead and a father facing charges. On the late evening of Sunday, January 4, 2015, state police were called to a residence on Plumbford Branch Road following a report of gunfire. Inside the home, they discovered the body of 51-year-old Tommy Rice.
He had sustained a single gunshot wound to his head and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Investigators determined that Tommy Rice had been involved in an argument with his father, Bernard Ray Rice. The dispute took a tragic turn when Bernard Rice allegedly shot his son. Following the incident, Bernard Rice was taken from the home to a nearby hospital for treatment of what were described as unrelated medical issues.
After being treated, Bernard Ray Rice was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of his son, Tommy. He was subsequently lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail in Hazard. The death of Tommy Rice, a man remembered by loved ones as kind, loving, and always willing to help others, left his family and the community in mourning. He was survived by three daughters, two sisters, and several grandchildren.
