KY woman charged with hindering capture of man who killed Russell County sheriff’s deputy
A woman has been arrested after police say she had a role in the death of a Kentucky sheriff’s deputy’s death last year.
Linda Ashbrook, 38, was charged with complicity to murder, first-degree hindering apprehension, first-degree wanton endangerment and first-degree persistent felony offender, according to court records.
She was indicted Tuesday in Russell County Circuit Court on accusations that she was involved in the September 2024 death of Russell County sheriff’s deputy Joshua Phipps.
The indictment says Ashbrook hindered “hinder(ed) the apprehension of Joshua Arnold, who was being sought in connection with a Class A Felony.”
The shooting happened Sept. 16 at a house on Bluebird Drive on Sept. 16. Ashbrook’s listed address is on Bluebird Drive, according to her indictment.
Authorities were searching for Arnold, and Phipps went into a camper trailer looking for him, KSP said. Officers outside heard multiple gunshots inside the camper, and Arnold and Phipps were found shot.
Both were later pronounced dead at the Russell County Hospital.
Ashbrook is being held at the Russell County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond, according to jail records.
Ashbrook is the second person to be charged in connection to Phipps’ death. Shawn Kays, 41, of Terre Haute, Ind., was accused of illegally transferring the gun used to kill Phipps. He went on to plead guilty to a federal charge of trafficking a firearm in October.
In February, Kays was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by a three-year sentence of supervised release, according to court documents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office previously said Kays was not involved in the shooting.
