A Christian County grand jury will consider the murder and other felony charges against 32-year old Anthony Gaines of Hopkinsville following a preliminary hearing Wednesday morning in Christian District Court.
Gaines is charged with two-counts of murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, first-degree wanton endangerment, tampering with physical evidence and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
He’s accused in the August, 2021 shooting deaths of his cousin, Kierra Wallace, and George Gomez at a home in Ashwood Village near Peach Street.
Christian County Sheriff’s Office Detective Chad Grace says a neighbor heard what sounded like someone banging on or kicking on a door and found one of the victims inside the home when he went to check on them.
There were 13 rounds shot into Gomez and two into Wallace and two small children in the home were in a bedroom and avoided injury. Detective Grace said they did not see the shooting, but heard the events.
The neighbor saw the victims’ gray vehicle leave the trailer park after the incident and it was later found abandoned on the side of a road, according to Detective Grace, who also testified additional witnesses have come forth since the shooting and helped lead to Gaines being charged.
There is video surveillance showing a man walking from a vehicle to the victims’ trailer, but Detective Grace told defense attorney Brandi Jones that the camera is too far away to use it to positively identify Gaines as the perpetrator.
Gaines has chosen to not speak to police about the case, according to the testimony.
Judge Lindsey Adams determined there was probable cause that a felony had been committed and sent the case to a grand jury for consideration, while leaving Gaines’ bond at $1 million.