Two people charged with murder hours after body is found in closed Lexington car wash

Lexington police on Tuesday charged two people with murder several hours after a man's body was found inside a closed car wash.

Lt. Brian Maynard, speaking to reporters at police headquarters, also said there are two people they would like to question about the homicide.

Police have charged Joseph Sledge, 29, and Kavion Thomas, 24, with murder and first-degree robbery. Maynard said Teresa Jarrett, 26, and Thomas G. Lucky, 38, are persons of interest.

At 7 p.m. Monday night, officers were sent to the Premier Car Wash, 275 West New Circle Road, for a report of an unresponsive man found inside the business.

Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said it was unclear how the man died; what appeared to be a blanket was partially covering the body and had not been moved by 11:15 p.m. Police have said the man had been hit in the head.

Ginn did not release the identity of the man, who is believed to be in his 50's. Investigators were not sure how long he had been dead. An autopsy, which was scheduled for Tuesday, will confirm those details.

Maynard did not discuss details surrounding the arrests. He said Jarrett and Lucky are homeless and have been seen panhandling near the intersection of Russell Cave and Broadway.

It is unclear whether the people knew the man, but they were "loitering" at the car wash.

The car wash, which previously operated under the name Mr. Sparkle, was closed in December, according to a Facebook posting. The building is on the outer loop of New Circle between Broadway and Russell Cave Road.

Monday's homicide is the city's 14th. It is the second homicide in two weeks.

This story was originally published October 14, 2014 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Two people charged with murder hours after body is found in closed Lexington car wash."