Repeat offender with lengthy rap sheet accused of gunning down Kentucky trooper during traffic stop
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offender → accuse → stop
The Tennessee man accused of killing a Kentucky state trooper was on probation and already wanted for a violation, with a criminal record that included assault, fraud and illegally possessing a gun.
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that → accuse → gun
Emonnie Branch, 51, was denied bond Tuesday on a charge of murder of a first responder in the death of Trooper Hayden Phillips, a husband and father of three young boys.
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Branch → deny → boys
Tennessee Department of Correction records reviewed by Fox News Digital show Branch was serving five years of probation for a fraud-related conviction.
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Branch → review → conviction
His supervision was scheduled to end in July 2030.
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supervision → schedule → July
Sumner County District Attorney Thomas Dean told Fox 17 Nashville that Branch was already wanted for a probation violation tied to his securities fraud conviction before Monday’s shooting.
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Branch → tell → shooting
“Looks like he has a very extensive and varied criminal history,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Kori Bumgarner said during Tuesday’s arraignment, the outlet reported.
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outlet → look → arraignment
Dean said Branch’s prior convictions included attempted domestic assault, violating a no-contact order and securities fraud.
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convictions → say → order
Court records reviewed by the outlet also showed a 2009 conviction for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
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records → review → felon
Fox 17 reported that Branch was arrested twice this year for probation violations.
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Branch → report → violations
Warren County Regional Jail records reviewed by Fox News Digital show he is being held without bond on the murder charge and a fugitive charge.
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he → review → charge
Phillips was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Warren County Monday, Kentucky State Police said.
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Police → shoot → County
Authorities identified Branch as the suspect and issued a statewide Blue Alert before Louisville Metro Police captured him that evening.
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Police → identify → him
“He was senselessly murdered,” US Attorney Kyle Bumgarner said Monday night during a news briefing.
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Bumgarner → murder → briefing
“We have a wife that expected her husband to come home.
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husband → have → wife
We have three little boys who don’t have a dad.”
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who → have → dad
“One of our own was gunned down and murdered on the side of the road,” Kyle Bumgarner added.
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Bumgarner → gun → road
He pledged that the Justice Department would give state prosecutors and investigators “every tool” and “every bit of support” it could to help them pursue the maximum sentence.
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them → pledge → sentence
Kentucky State Police Commissioner Col. Phillip Burnett Jr. condemned the suspect’s “cowardly actions” and explained why he had mentioned his name only once.
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he → condemn → name
“I want you to know I only mentioned his name one time,” Burnett said.
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Burnett → want → name
“We will seek justice for Hayden,” he continued.
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he → seek → Hayden
“Let me repeat that, we will seek justice for Hayden.
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we → let → Hayden
We will not rest until this happens.”
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this → rest → ?
Phillips was a three-year state police veteran assigned to Post 3 in Bowling Green.
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Phillips → assign → Green
Burnett promised his family the agency would stand beside them.
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agency → promise → them
“You will not walk this path alone,” he said.
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he → walk → path
Phillips’ wife, Jordan, shared her grief Tuesday.
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wife → share → grief
“I’ve laid here all night waiting for him to come home… for the radio to click off, the gun belt to hang,” she wrote on Facebook.
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she → lay → Facebook
“I promise to pick up all the pieces and force myself to carry on for your boys.
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I → promise → boys
I know you would want me to,” she added.
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she → know → ?
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Report → start → news
State police escorted Phillips’ body to Glasgow Tuesday.
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police → escort → Glasgow
A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. local time.
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vigil → schedule → p.m.
Gov. Andy Beshear ordered flags at all state buildings lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Sunday, Oct. 4, in honor of Phillips.
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flags → order → Phillips
“Trooper Hayden Phillips was a hero who sacrificed everything protecting our people and our commonwealth, and it is our sacred duty to honor him and his family,” Beshear said.
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Beshear → sacrifice → him
He urged Kentuckians to pray for Jordan and their three children and encouraged donations to the Kentucky State Police Foundation, saying all proceeds would go directly to the family.
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proceeds → urge → family
Jordan asked people to share memories of her husband with their sons.
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Jordan → ask → sons
“He was just the kind of guy who is easy to celebrate,” she wrote.
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she → celebrate → guy
The Aporia
