Lexington father pleads guilty to baby’s death, other Fayette court updates
One woman was sentenced and others pleaded guilty in May for separate homicides in Lexington, as their cases moved through Fayette County courts.
In one, a Lexington father pleaded guilty to the death of his 9-month-old daughter, and in another case, a woman was sentenced for a 2024 homicide.
Here are court updates on cases previously covered by the Herald-Leader.
Father pleads guilty to murder, faces 25 years
Weeks before he was set to go to trial, a Lexington father has entered a guilty plea related to the death of his 9-month-old daughter.
Syied Epps, 31, pleaded guilty to murder domestic violence May 20, court documents show. He was charged with being a persistent felony offender, but that charge was dismissed as part of his plea deal.
Epps originally faced a June 18 trial for the murder of his daughter, Sy’Kia Epps. Lexington investigators previously testified that Epps smashed and dropped the baby on her head in front of other children.
Sy’Kia Epps died July 31, 2023, after being hospitalized for nearly a week from injuries caused by her father. Police were called to the Whitney Avenue home where they located Syied Epps, who said he didn’t know anything about the incident.
He told police the child was in the care of a babysitter at the time, and he didn’t know the name or contact information for the babysitter, police previously said. The babysitter was not at the home when police arrived.
Police determined the babysitter story was false, and Epps continued to mislead police saying he was at work. The investigation revealed Epps did not work at the places he mentioned, and was at the home at the time of the assault.
His sentencing is scheduled for June 1. He faces 25 years in prison.
Woman sentenced for amended charge in 2024 death
A Lexington woman was sentenced to 15 years in prison for amended charges in a May 2024 homicide on Dakota Street.
Sheri Phillips, 37, was sentenced May 29 by Fayette Circuit Judge Kimberly Bunnell. She previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of 50-year-old Russell Houston.
Police were called May 17, 2024, to the 700 block of Dakota Street, where they found Houston dead from a gunshot wound.
Phillips was originally charged with murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.
On March 11, Phillips pleaded guilty to amended charges of first-degree manslaughter and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Man pleads guilty to death of girlfriend’s son
A Lexington man has pleaded guilty to amended charges for the March 2022 death of his former girlfriend’s son.
Darryl Russell, 57, pleaded guilty May 8 to charges of reckless homicide, being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun and fourth-degree assault — domestic violence.
He originally faced a murder charge for the death of 18-year-old Darian Webb.
Previous testimony revealed Webb and Russell began fighting when Webb attempted to defend himself and his mother, who were subjected to years of mental, emotional and physical abuse, according to prosecutors.
Fayette Commonwealths Attorney Kim Baird previously asked the judge, Judge Julie Muth Goodman, to recuse from the case citing bias. Baird wrote in her motion that Goodman “rolled her eyes at prosecutors” during their arguments, cut them off from speaking, and blamed the victim and his mother because of her continued relationship with Russell.
Russell’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 27. He faces 12 years in prison.
Woman faces five years for manslaughter charge
A Lexington woman is facing five years in prison after she pleaded guilty to the 2025 death of her boyfriend.
Mia White, 41, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second degree manslaughter. She was originally charged with murder — domestic violence in May 2025 for the death of 24-year-old Elmer Eldridge.
White previously confirmed to police she shot Eldridge, who she claimed was attacking her with a glass liquor bottle.
White faces five years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 12.
