Jefferson County, Illinois Police Department
UPDATE: The investigation continues today as Detective Lieutenant Matt Hilbrecht and Deputies from the Marshall County Coroners Office traveled to Louisville for an autopsy on the victim.
As the family has been notified, the Sheriff’s Office can now release the victims identity.
The victim is identified as Gary J. Lambert age 47 of Paducah.
The autopsy shows that Mr. Lambert died of a single gunshot wound. The investigation is continuing and more information will be released as it becomes available.
Additionally, 38-year-old Joseph L. Cunningham of Paducah is charged with murder and arson and is currently in custody at a Jefferson County, Ill.
The arson charge comes from the residence that Lambert was located.
Another suspect, 40-year-old Kristy Keener in custody for a theft in their jurisdiction.
The suspects reportedly had suspected stolen property from Shooters Supply in Paducah.
Deputies said the vehicle Cunningham and Keener was stopped in also had several firearms inside, which police suspected as being stolen from the Schneidman Road burglary the day before.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, Calvert City Police Department, Jefferson County Illinois Sheriff’s Office, and Illinois State Police are currently investigating a homicide.
The body of a male in his 40’s has been recovered in the Possum Trot / Sharpe area.
According to the investigator, Detective Lieutenant Matt Hilbrecht, a person of interest has been detained in Illinois.
As this is an ongoing and evolving investigation, no further information will be released until family can be notified and the investigation completed.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to reassure the community that with the detention of this subject, we believe that there is no reason for concern at this time.