Suspect’s mother pleads with her son to turn himself in after Jordan Morgan’s slaying

The mother of the man accused of killing a Lexington attorney earlier this week pleaded with her son to turn himself in, said he was not of sound mind and also said he spoke of building a bunker to protect against nuclear war.

Katie Gilday, the mother of murder suspect Shannon V. Gilday, shared a Facebook post which outlined her son’s declining mental health and expressed sympathy for the family of Jordan Morgan. Morgan was shot and killed at the home of her father, former state lawmaker C. Wesley Morgan. Gilday told the Herald-Leader Friday she had nothing to say beyond her Facebook post.

“First I want to state that I am greatly saddened for the Morgan family, friends and loved ones for the pain and suffering it is believed by the police that my son has caused them and especially for the loss of their daughter Jordan. It is a terrible tragedy, “ Katie Gilday said.

“My son Shannon Gilday, who I love so dearly, has not been of sound mind the last couple of weeks, distraught with the certainty a nuclear war is imminent. He spoke of building a bunker and the CIA following him. I tried to get him psychiatric help but to no avail,” she said.

Jordan Morgan’s father, C. Wesley Morgan, had a bunker valued at $3 million underneath his home where the shooting happened. Jordan Morgan was shot and killed while in bed. C. Wesley Morgan was also injured in the shooting, Kentucky State Police said.

The Morgans’ bunker is a 2,000-square-foot, fully stocked and furnished bunker behind a massive steel and concrete door, according to real estate listings. The bunker was advertised as being capable of withstanding nuclear, biological and chemical fallout.

Gilday is a 23-year-old man from Taylor Mill in northern Kentucky who now has an active arrest warrant for murder, assault and other charges related to the crime, police said. State police said he is approximately 6 feet tall, 167 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

Gilday was last seen wearing a camouflage or tactical style jacket and pants, dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, gloves and a light-colored facemask on surveillance footage at Morgan’s residence, state police said. Police believed Gilday was driving a white 2016 Toyota Corolla with minor damage to the front grill, and a license plate of 379-VMJ, state police said.

“I plead to Shannon to turn himself in so that he can get the help he so desperately needs,” Katie Gilday said.

“Meanwhile, I thank my family and friends for their love and support and ask for our privacy as we navigate through this unthinkable tragedy.”

State police: Morgan’s bunker was ‘possible motive’

When asked if the bunker could’ve been a motive behind Gilday’s attack, Sgt. Robert Purdy with state police said they won’t know an exact motive until they speak with Gilday, but they were “aware of this being a possible motive” and investigators were looking into it.

“Until we locate Gilday and speak to him about a motive, I am unable to say with certainty what his motive might have been,” Purdy said.

The deadly shooting happened early Tuesday morning on Willis Branch Road in Madison County, according to state police. Police believe Shannon Gilday forced his way into the Morgans’ multi-million dollar home armed with a rifle and started shooting.

Gilday fled the home after exchanging shots with the homeowner, state police said. It’s possible Gilday was injured when shots were fired back at him.

Gilday was publicly identified as a suspect Thursday. State police were hoping that increased public attention would lead to tips, which would make it easier for law enforcement to find and detain him.

This story was originally published February 25, 2022 at 2:45 PM.