Lexington COVID denier who vandalized buildings had ‘manifesto materials,’ records say
A Lexington man charged Wednesday with spray painting COVID-19 conspiracy theories on several Lexington buildings was discovered to have “manifesto materials” at his house, according to arrest records.
Derek Nance, 37, was arrested by Lexington police Wednesday after he allegedly admitted to vandalizing several buildings between December 2020 and February 2021 by spray-painting messages like “COVID-19 is an inside job” and “stop the lies.”
Officers had been responding to the reports of vandalism as early as October 2020, according to Lexington police.
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department and the Urgent Care center on Nicholasville Road reported these vandalism incidents to police in December. Police in February also took similar reports from several local news stations including WKYT, WTVQ, WLEX and iHeart Media Group.
Similar vandalism was also found at Lexington Police Headquarters, where Nance is accused of spray painting the walls of the parking garage and leaving a “manifesto” on scene, according to Lexington police.
Police called the messages “anti-government verbiage” in an arrest citation. WKYT, the Herald-Leader’s reporting partner, confirmed that Nance was involved in those vandalism cases.
Police collected evidence and materials at each scene and reviewed surveillance footage which ultimately led them to search Nance’s house, according to arrest records. Police found “clothing, manifesto materials, paint and other property” which matched evidence seen and collected at the scene, according to an arrest citation.
Nance was read his Miranda rights and admitted to the vandalism, according to an arrest citation.
Nance was charged with seven counts of criminal mischief due to the vandalism, according to court records. But he also faces drug trafficking charges after police found “significant amounts” of suspected marijuana, mushrooms and LSD, according to an arrest citation. Nance allegedly admitted to possessing the drugs.
Nance previously attracted media coverage when he shared details of his “raw meat diet” with WKYT, the Herald-Leader’s reporting partner. The Lexington man said in 2019 he had been eating raw meat for 10 years.
“Raw is just so much easier for me to digest,” he said at the time.
Police are asking anyone with additional information to call 859-258-3600. Anonymous tips can also be made to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers at 859-253-2020, or online at www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com or www.p3tips.com.
This story was originally published April 8, 2021 at 11:46 AM.