Authorities looking for suspected leader in Graves County tornado damaged vehicle thefts
GRAVES COUNTY, Ky. (KBSI) – Authorities are looking for a Dresden, Tennessee woman wanted on outstanding charges in Ballard and Fulton counties.
Linda K. Morris, 53, of the Dresden, Tenn. area pleaded guilty to these theft charges in Graves Circuit Court and was scheduled to be sentenced to eight years in prison on February 3.
She was out on bond and failed to appear in court, jumping bail, according to the Graves County Sheriffs’ Office.
She is also currently wanted on outstanding charges in Ballard and Fulton counties.
Morris is described as a white female, 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighing approximately 200 pounds.
Anyone with any information as to the whereabouts of Linda K. Morris area asked to contact the Graves County Sheriff’s Office or any other law enforcement agency.
Authorities seized $123,980 in U.S. currency from one of the suspects arrested and turned it over to federal authorities in Tennessee related to an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.
Just eight days after the December 10, 2021 tornado that struck Mayfield and Graves County, several suspects were arrested for stealing tornado damaged vehicles from an area that was especially hit hard. Those areas include Cardinal and Pritchett Road areas. This was also an area that suffered several deaths.
Extra sheriff’s patrols had been set up in this area due to numerous thefts and looting that was reported.
Calloway County Chief Deputy Jody Cash (whom was since killed in the line of duty) was in Graves County assisting with these extra patrols. He reported seeing several tornado damaged vehicles being towed out of the area on Pritchett Road and approaching US Hwy 45 South.
Graves and Calloway sheriff’s units and Kentucky State Police troopers stopped the convoy of vehicles. It was found that the vehicles were all stolen from victims’ homes that were destroyed in the tornado, that had been displaced by the tornado, still currently in the hospital from injuries suffered during the tornado, or who were killed, according to the sheriff’s office.
A variety of personal items belonging to tornado victims, including some household goods, new shoes, muddy change, copper wiring and other items were also recovered from the suspects and the vehicles.
All suspects arrested in this case have had their cases adjudicated with the exception of one suspect whom has been identified as the ringleader of the theft ring.
Graves County Sheriff Jon Hayden and other officials from Graves County testified before a congressional panel in Frankfort concerning the uptick in thefts and looting in the county after the tornado. An emergency declaration had been declared.
As a result of this specific case and others, an addition to the penalty section of the theft law in Kentucky was added and went into effect July 14, 2022.
It reads as follows: ((j) The offense occurs during a declared emergency as defined by KRS 39A.020 arising from a natural or man-made disaster, within the area covered by the emergency declaration, and within the area impacted by the disaster, in which case the person shall be charged one (1) level higher than the level otherwise specified in this subsection.)
