(PADUCAH, Ky.) — A multi-county theft investigation has led to two arrests and a manhunt for a third suspect after a Paducah man confessed to a widespread string of thefts spanning four Kentucky counties.
The investigation was set in motion on Jan. 29 when McCracken County Sheriff Ryan Norman obtained surveillance footage of an attempted theft at Jason’s Collision Center on County Park Road in Paducah. Detectives quickly identified the suspect as Jeremiah Wood, 42, who was already being looked at in connection with several other recent thefts and had outstanding warrants out of Marshall County tied to catalytic converter crimes.
Detectives headed to Wood’s residence on North 23rd Street in Paducah, only to learn he had recently left. A neighbor or family member pointed investigators to a nearby Walmart where Wood had reportedly been dropped off. While at the home, detectives also stumbled onto a clue — a family member had thrown a bag into a trash can containing a Sawzall, a power tool frequently used to strip catalytic converters from vehicles.
The next day, Jan. 30, detectives tracked Wood to a detached garage on a nearby property, where he was found hiding alongside 33-year-old Danielle Davenport of Dexter, Ky. Both were taken into custody on outstanding warrants.
Once at the sheriff’s office, Wood didn’t stay quiet for long. During an interview, he confessed to committing a string of thefts across Paducah, McCracken, Marshall, and Livingston counties. A search of his residence turned up a haul of stolen goods, including a large metal brake, a cutting torch, and welding helmets.
Investigators say Wood is also responsible for the theft of a Kubota side-by-side worth $13,800 from a McCracken County business on Dec. 12, 2025, and the theft of a Polaris four-wheeler from a county residence on Dec. 20, 2025.
The investigation didn’t stop there. Later that night, detectives executed a search warrant at the Paducah home of James Q. Guiling, 64, in the 2600 block of Adams Street. Inside, officers recovered a number of stolen catalytic converters, along with a small amount of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Guiling was not home at the time and remains at large.
Working alongside the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, investigators have since recovered additional stolen catalytic converters from a separate location in Livingston County.
Wood faces charges of theft by unlawful taking in two tiers, as well as Marshall County warrants for criminal mischief in the first degree and theft of motor vehicle parts. Davenport was charged on Marshall County warrants for similar offenses. Guiling is wanted on an outstanding warrant for possession of methamphetamine as a repeat offender, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia.
The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office says the investigation remains active, and additional charges and arrests are expected. The department was assisted by the Paducah Police Department, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office at 270-444-4719 or submit an anonymous tip through West Kentucky Crime Stoppers at 270-443-TELL.
