In the fall of 1973, a tragic and violent series of events unfolded in Lexington, Kentucky, forever marking the lives of several families. David Sizemore, a 26-year-old male, was among the victims of a brutal crime spree that sent shockwaves through the community. His life was cut short on October 1st of that year, a day that began with a desperate escape and ended in senseless bloodshed.
The ordeal began when two inmates, William Sloan and Wilmer Scott, broke out of the federal building
in Lexington. Their escape triggered a chain of violent acts that would claim the lives of six innocent people. After their escape, Sloan and Scott embarked on a carjacking, forcing their way into the lives of a mother and her children. This act would lead them to the home of the Barnes family.
At the Barnes residence, the two fugitives committed a horrific crime, murdering Reverend John K. Barnes, his 17-year-old daughter Francine, and his 14-year-old son, John E. Barnes. The brutality of these murders left the local community in a state of shock and fear.
Following the murders in Lexington, the escaped convicts continued their violent rampage. They traveled to Falmouth, Kentucky, where they checked into a motel. It was there that David Sizemore, along with his 35-year-old brother Monroe Sizemore and 64-year-old Elva F. Harper, encountered the two men. In a cold-blooded act, all three were shot and killed, their deaths adding to the rising toll of the escapees' violent spree.
The reign of terror instigated by William Sloan and Wilmer Scott came to an end with their eventual capture. Law enforcement was able to apprehend the two suspects, bringing a close to the manhunt. Following his arrest, Wilmer Scott reportedly took his own life while in jail, before he could be brought to trial for his role in the heinous crimes. William Sloan, however, faced the justice system for his part in the murders and was subsequently convicted for his crimes.
