Trial that had been scheduled to begin Monday for the suspect charged in the 2018 murder of Tamara Dragoo at the King’s Court Motel on Fort Campbell Boulevard had to be rescheduled as the Commonwealth recently turned over a large amount of evidence that needs to be sifted through.
Attorney Michael Thompson represents 33-year old Terrence Stepp of Hopkinsville and told Judge John Atkins that the Hopkinsviille Police Department turned over a large data dump from multiple cell phones last week and he hasn’t had time to go through all of that information.
Judge Atkins says he and Judge Andrew Self are both troubled that delays in evidence being distributed to all parties is delaying multiple trials.
He told Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling to get with all of his law enforcement partners and explain the need for a systematic process of getting the evidence in order in plenty of time before trial.
The judge told Thompson to file a thorough motion for bond modification regarding potential conditions of release and where Stepp would be living if he’s able to get out. Stepp has been in jail on the murder charge for over two years—since June of 2020.
Another trial date was set for November 21.
