The Christian County woman facing multiple felony charges for her alleged role in the September, 2020 death of 81-year old Thelma “Ileen” Barnett at her home on Will Jackson Road in Trigg County is asking the judge to let her out of jail for drug addiction treatment while she awaits her trial date.
Thirty-one-year-old Keisha Stewart of Hopkinsville is charged with complicity to second-degree arson, abuse of a corpse, second-degree burglary and tampering with evidence and had been out on bond in October of last year when she tested positive for drug use and was reincarcerated for violating terms of her release.
Attorney Katy Riley is representing Stewart and says she’s been approved to try addiction treatment at Mountain of Hope, if the judge would let her out on her previous bond conditions.
Trigg Circuit Judge James Redd noted it was Stewart’s action that got her bond revoked the first time and scheduled an evidentiary hearing for April 6 to hear more and have additional discussion.
Her co-defendant, 45-year old Jonathan McCoy of Princeton, is charged with murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and first-degree burglary.
McCoy allegedly tied Barnett’s hands behind her back and then strangled her to death. Kentucky State Police say he returned that night with the help of Stewart and set Barnett’s home on fire with her body still inside.