The Hopkinsville man charged with murder in connection to the death of Joey Hayes in Trigg County last week appeared for an arraignment in Trigg District Court Tuesday morning.
43-year old James William Gentry appeared before Judge Jamus Redd to answer to charges he faces in Trigg County related to the fatal shooting of Hayes.
Until Gentry can hire an attorney, Judge Redd appointed a public defender to represent him in the case. Judge Redd also scheduled a preliminary hearing for next week, at which time Gentry asked if he could be released on house arrest.
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After denying Gentry’s request and setting his bond, Judge Redd scheduled a preliminary hearing for 10:00 Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, Gentry entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment Monday afternoon in Christian District Court before Judge James Adams on charges of theft by unlawful taking under $10,000 and tampering with physical evidence, also connected to Hayes’ death. Judge Adams scheduled a preliminary hearing for Monday afternoon at 1:00.
According to the Kentucky State Police arrest citation, Gentry admitted to detectives he was present when Hayes was shot multiple times last Tuesday, November 27, and that he also transported Hayes to the location where he was killed. Witnesses stated Hayes agreed to go to the location under the pretense Gentry was going to pay a debt that he owed him and purchase a diamond ring. Gentry initially told State Police that someone else gave him the ring and that he believed it was stolen when Hayes was “roughed up.” Gentry also admitted to pawning the ring last Wednesday, November 28.
Authorities had been looking for Hayes after a missing person’s report was filed with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office last Wednesday, November 28. The report said Gentry was the last person to see Hayes on the Princeton Road around 2:25 that morning when he was following Gentry to a job site. Hayes body was found around noon Wednesday on a farm located at 412 Buffalo Road in Trigg County where state police say Gentry had lived in the past and is owned by his family.State Police say a preliminary autopsy revealed Hayes died from multiple gunshot wounds.
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