Police search for individual who vandalized mural of 3 KY officers killed in ambush
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- Eastern Kentucky police search for suspect who vandalized mural honoring slain officers
- Mural honored three officers and a police dog killed in 2022 ambush
- Authorities urge public tips; anonymous calls to Prestonsburg police at 606-886-1010
Police in Eastern Kentucky are searching for a suspect who vandalized a mural honoring three fallen officers and a police dog.
The mural honors Floyd County Deputy William Petry, Prestonsburg Police Capt. Ralph Frasure, Prestonsburg police officer Jacob Chaffins and Drago, a German shepherd trained to detect drugs. All three officers and the dog were killed in an ambush attack while attempting to serve an emergency protective order in summer 2022.
According to Prestonsburg Police Chief Ross Shurtleff, the mural, painted by Peyton Martin, the son of a retired officer, was vandalized with spray paint on each of the officers’ faces the evening of Dec. 7, according to a Facebook post from department.
“I’m positive I speak for anyone else in law enforcement in this region when I say that you will not get away with this,” Shurtleff said in a Facebook post. “I will plaster your name and photo on this social media page and everyone will know what you are.”
Lance Storz, 49, of Allen, was indicted in July 2022 on 20 charges, including three counts of murdering a police officer, in connection to the June 30, 2022, shooting. Storz’ wife said he trapped her in a bedroom, threw her around the room, slapped her and sexually assaulted her before she filed for the restraining order.
Storz, armed with a 0.308-caliber rifle and AR-15 assault rifles, allegedly opened fire on the officers without warning from his house in Allen. Several other officers were injured by the gunfire or broken glass.
In a Facebook post, Martin said the project was personal to him, and it broke his heart to find out it had been vandalized. He said he plans to fix the mural.
Storz could have faced the death penalty, but he committed suicide in a bathroom at the Pike County Detention Center in February 2023.
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call Prestonsburg police at 606-886-1010. Shurtleff said you can remain anonymous.
