In the quiet town of Winchester, Kentucky, the life of 19-year-old Amber Lynn Caudill was tragically cut short on December 23, 2014. A 2013 graduate of Powell County High School and a sophomore at Eastern Kentucky University, Amber was in her downstairs apartment on Oxford Drive when a fatal event unfolded in the unit directly above hers. A bullet, fired during a robbery, pierced through the floor and struck her, ending her life at the scene.
The young woman, born in Honolulu, Hawaii, was a promising pre-art design major with dreams of a future that included a family of her own.
The events that led to Amber's untimely death began with a planned home invasion in the apartment upstairs. Four individuals targeted the residence with the intent to steal marijuana. Three men, Christopher Robinson, 20, Aaron Stailey, 19, and Lamont Wilkerson, 21, all armed and wearing ski masks, forced their way into the apartment occupied by Justin Meadows and Crayvone Ritchie. The fourth individual, 19-year-old Lillian Barnett, drove the men to the Summit Apartments complex and waited in the car. A gunfight erupted within the apartment, and it was a stray bullet from this violent exchange that penetrated the floor and killed the unsuspecting Amber Caudill below. Both Meadows and Ritchie sustained injuries but survived the ordeal.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, all four individuals involved in the home invasion were apprehended and faced serious charges. Christopher Robinson was indicted on charges of murder, first-degree burglary, and two counts of first-degree assault. Lamont Wilkerson, Aaron Stailey, and Lillian Barnett were charged with complicity to murder, complicity to first-degree burglary, and complicity to first-degree assault. Eventually, all four would be sentenced for their roles in the crime that resulted in Amber's death. Robinson was sentenced to 30 years for murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, and second-degree assault. Lillian Barnett, the driver, received a 20-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to amended charges of facilitation to commit murder, first-degree robbery, and two counts of first-degree assault. The other two men also pleaded guilty to their involvement.
In addition to the criminal proceedings, Amber's parents, Marcus and Karen Caudill, filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Summit Apartments, alleging that the complex had inadequate security which contributed to their daughter's death. The lawsuit claimed that the lack of security measures such as a barrier fence, access gate, or security cameras made the premises susceptible to criminal activity. It also alleged negligent rental practices, stating that the tenant in the apartment above Amber's was known to possess illegal drugs and a firearm. The lawsuit sought a jury trial and relief for the immense loss their family had suffered.
