Suspect apprehended in manhunt after deadly Perry County fight
Kentucky State Police arrested a man in Leslie County Wednesday morning wanted for murder charges in Hazard after a deadly altercation left one man dead.
Danny “Blue” Harold Asher, 43, was taken into custody by troopers March 4, ending a nearly 24-hour manhunt across Eastern Kentucky involving multiple agencies. Someone alerted authorities of a “suspicious person in the area,” which led to his capture, police said.
Asher is believed to have shot 27-year-old Ryan Hunt during a fight at an apartment complex near Hazard Tuesday morning, Sheriff Joe Engel said.
Perry County sheriff’s deputies confirmed Asher’s identity shortly before noon Wednesday. Asher and two women were involved in a fight with Hunt shortly before 10 a.m. March 3 at the Bubby Combs apartment complex on Darfork Road, Engel said.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they found Hunt on the ground with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Witness statements gave police probable cause to secure a murder warrant for Asher. By Tuesday afternoon, police had secured his last known address and his wife’s place of work. He was believed to be armed.
Charges may still be filed against the two others who are believed to have been with Asher at the time he is suspected of shooting Hunt. The women also fled the scene after shots were fired, police said.
“These aren’t innocent people,” the sheriff told the Herald-Leader Wednesday.
Deputies are conferring with the commonwealth’s attorney’s office on additional charges stemming from the deadly encounter, Engel said. Asher is being transported back to Perry County where he will face murder charges.
This story may be updated.
This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 10:14 AM.
