HARDIN CO.—Here’s what we know….with an update.
We learned at about 9:30 last night (Monday, May 21) that earlier in the day, people reported to us as “investigators” with “blue gloves on” had the sheriff’s office/jail all roped off.
According to very reliable sources, the initial thought that they were there was because there’d been reported that some Hardin County jail inmates were able to remove hinges from the door of the evidence room and were able to access inventory, which included pills and other items.
Unofficial sources have indicated that there’s reportedly been a lax condition of security at the jail, particularly where it comes to “trustys,” who have had access to tools in the past. Whether this had anything to do with this current status is completely unknown at this time, but all we’re doing is relating a previous concern there that may possibly lend to the unfolding of the current events.
AS OF 6 P.M. THIS EVENING, however RECENT developments have pointed to the possibility that new Elizabethtown village president Burtis Cook may have had something to do with the hinge incident.
According to an article in the local paper regarding a village meeting last week, Cook was apparently accused of accessing a portion of the city’s premises by none other than overbearing village trustee Sandra “Sandbags” Conkle, who seems to have an issue with thinking that city buildings are her own private and personal domain, and no one should have a key, or the numbers for the keypad, except her. He apparently responded that as village president, Sandbags doesn’t have any business keeping him out of anything, anytime, anywhere. But where he went is at this time undisclosed. It may, however, have something to do with hinges.
Whatever the case….ISP earlier today disclosed to our sources that there is one thing identified as missing from the evidence area: a .22-caliber rifle that was allegedly the weapon Little Raymond Dutton used to hold his wife at gunpoint recently. This weapon is reportedly just gone. Hence the presence of investigators.
Where this all will go remains to be seen. In the meantime, inmates at the Hardin County facility, such as they are, have been moved to the Saline or Massac County jail. We’re working on confirming how many have been moved, as the HC jail is rather small and limited (and honestly, we’re surprised anyone was being kept there at all). According to unofficial sources, inmates from HC are NOT allowed to make phone calls out of the SCDC. We’re truly wondering if they are being prohibited from contacting US.
We are super busy today….when we know more, though, we’ll bring it to you. Keep checking back.