During Wednesday’s session of Trigg County Circuit Court, Hopkinsville attorney Bill Deatherage filed two motions of withdrawal as the defense attorney for a pair of cases involving 31-year-old Montie E. Streeval, of Cadiz.
Deemed indigent while currently incarcerated, Circuit Judge C.A. Woodall III ordered Streeval be represented by the Department for Public Advocacy, and granted 60 days for public defender Cody Hooks to review discovery.
Streeval is charged with a 2020 killing of a Muhlenberg County man — Cameron Phillips of Powderly — then dumping his body near a wooded area in eastern Trigg County and in close proximity of a cemetery on Old Rocky Point Road. He’s also charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
A report from Kentucky State Police states Streeval picked up Phillips for an alleged illegal drug transaction and drove to Cadiz, and was apparently familiar with the area. Streeval has denied his involvement in the killing. An autopsy revealed Phillips died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
During Wednesday’s pre-trial conference, Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins made a note for the record, stating Streeval has yet to formally be arraigned in the second case — which includes one count of possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (first offense, methamphetamine), and a count of drug paraphernalia either buying or possessing.
Hooks went ahead and waived formal reading, and entered a “not guilty” plea on those counts.
In January 2015, Streeval — then of Greenville Road in Hopkinsville — received a five-year sentence for third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal mischief, and was ordered to pay more than $400 in restitution to Saints Peter and Paul Church.
Streeval’s next pre-trial conference is set for March 9. His trial date has long been set for August 22 of this summer.
