Jury reaches verdict in murder trial for a deadly Kentucky home invasion
The jury in Shannon Gilday’s murder trial has found him guilty but mentally ill on charges of murder and burglary, as well as three counts of attempted murder.
The jury had its verdict shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, after deliberating for about three hours.
Gilday, 27, was charged with invading a mansion in Richmond before shooting and killing lawyer Jordan Morgan. The home belonged to Morgan’s father, C. Wesley Morgan, a businessman and former lawmaker, and it featured a massive survival bunker underneath.
Gilday didn’t visually react after the verdict was read.
A verdict of guilty but mentally ill means a jury acknowledges Gilday’s mental health, but still holds him criminally liable for his actions. If a person is found not guilty by reason of insanity, then jury believes the defendant could not understand that what they were doing was wrong.
The jury was not expected to decide on Gilday’s sentence Thursday, and would instead return Tuesday for further proceedings. The sentencing process is expected to take multiple days. Gilday is still technically eligible for the death penalty. Friends and family of Jordan Morgan have pushed for the death penalty to remain an option for sentencing if Gilday was found guilty.
Gilday’s attorney, Kim Green, wanted the jury to find Gilday not guilty by reason of insanity. Gilday’s defense team didn’t dispute that Gilday broke into the Morgans’ home and killed Jordan Morgan, but said he was in a state of psychosis before, during and after the shooting.
Green quoted a psychiatrist who said Gilday was not only mentally ill, but that his case was “one that the (not guilty by reason of insanity verdict) was created for.”
Jurors heard from several experts about Gilday’s mental state before, during and after the shooting.
At least three psychiatrists testified that Gilday was in active psychosis when he entered the Morgan home in efforts to access a bunker out of fear for nuclear war. All agreed he was mentally ill, though some said he was still aware that what he was doing was illegal.
But special prosecutors argued Gilday planned the attack for weeks, and should be held fully accountable for Morgan’s death caused by more than 25 gunshot wounds that left her to bleed out.
“They want you to buy that story of not guilty by reason of insanity,” said prosecutor Todd Willard before jurors went to deliberate. “But I will use the last words of Jordan Morgan: ‘Please don’t.’”
The Morgan family has declined to comment until after Gilday is sentenced.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 3:22 PM.
