Slaying of Kentucky sheriff stuns small community as questions over motive whirl

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Posted 9:24AM on Monday, April 15, 2002

SOMERSET, Ky. - Sheriff Sam Catron was known as an enemy of drug traffickers, whether searching for marijuana by helicopter or cruising the streets in the wee hours. One sting he helped orchestrate in September 2000 resulted in 73 arrests and 129 indictments, the largest drug roundup in Pulaski County's history. Now investigators are trying to determine whether it was Catron's tough stance on drugs or some other motive that led to his sniper-style killing on Saturday night. A bullet from a high-powered rifle killed the 48-year-old Catron shortly after he finished a campaign speech at a volunteer fire department in Shopville, a tiny community about 70 miles south of Lexington. Catron was running for a fifth term as sheriff, and the man charged in the shooting -- Danny Shelley, 30, of Eubank -- was apprehended after wrecking a motorcycle registered to Jeff Morris, one of Catron's opponents in the May 28 primary. Shelley's arraignment was scheduled for Monday. Capt. Paul Hays, commander of the Kentucky State Police post in London, wouldn't speculate on the motive for the shooting. He said Sunday that Morris was not a suspect in the case. Hays sidestepped questions about the relationship between Morris and Shelley, saying "that's part of the investigation that we're following up on." Morris did not return phone calls to his home. Jim McWhorter, the chief deputy sworn in as sheriff, said Morris was a deputy under Catron from 1996 to July 2001. McWhorter wouldn't comment on Morris' reason for leaving the sheriff's office, but he said he knew of no ill will between Catron and Morris. Catron had been the sheriff of the sparsely populated south-central Kentucky county since 1985. Mourners on Sunday began placing flowers outside the Shopville-Stab Volunteer Fire Department, the site of the political rally, fish fry and auction where Catron was killed. "You wouldn't meet a nicer person," said Fire Chief R.J. Riley. "He treated everyone like he wanted to be treated. He lived by the golden rule." Catron had just bought two cakes at the rally and was putting them into his cruiser when he was shot. "The cake was still sitting on the car, on the trunk lid," said Darrell Beshears, the Pulaski County judge-executive. Catron was known to wear a bulletproof vest, because his father, then-Somerset Police Chief Harold Catron, had been shot and killed in 1964. He was wearing it Saturday. Shelley was caught shortly after the shooting, when he wrecked the motorcycle he was riding. "The senseless murder or assassination of our sheriff, who always had a smile on his face and dedication in his heart, is devastating to the community," said Fred Neikirk, a former county attorney. Coroner Alan Stringer said the bullet hit Catron in the head and killed him instantly. Hays said the shot came from "a considerable distance." Under Kentucky law, shooting a police officer in the line of duty is a capital offense. Commonwealth's Attorney Eddy Montgomery said Catron was in uniform when he was shot, but it may be questionable whether he was technically on duty. ------ On the Net: Pulaski County Sheriff: http://www.pulaskisheriff.com