Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley said Kyle David Kersey died as the result of a single gunshot wound to the chest but investigators are still working to determine whether the attorney’s death was a homicide or suicide.
Kersey, 56, of Corbin was found in his pickup truck Friday morning on Ky. 770 in Laurel County just west of the bridge spanning the Laurel River. He was taken to Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin where he was pronounced dead.
Kentucky State Police are continuing to investigate.
A source had told The News Journal police had found a gun in Kersey’s vehicle but it was not the one used in the shooting.
However, Trooper First Class Don Trosper, public affairs officer at Post 11 in London, said he could not comment on any evidence investigators collected at the scene, specifically whether or not a gun or guns were found.
Trosper said investigators found a cup of coffee in Kersey’s truck, which he had purchased from Hardee’s just prior to the incident. The restaurant located next to Love’s Travel Center is less than a mile from where he was found.
Carrie Abbott passed Kersey as he came down the hill and crossed the bridge. She said she watched the truck veer off the road as if there was something wrong with the driver, coming to rest with the passenger side against the rock wall. Because of the eratic way the vehicle was being operated, she called 9-1-1.
Kersey had suffered a series of professional and financial setbacks including his disbarment, the initiation of foreclosure proceedings on his home and a series of state and federal tax liens levied on his personal residence.
According to documents filed Aug. 27 in Whitley Circuit Court Kersey had defaulted on his home mortgage that had a principle balance of $28,462.55 and the mortgage holder, Community Trust Bank, had initiated foreclosure proceedings.
In the court documents, officials from Community Trust Bank noted the U.S. Attorney General and the Commonwealth of Kentucky — Finance and Administration Cabinet had filed tax liens against the property. In addition, the Commonwealth of Kentucky Education Cabinet — Division of Unemployment had taken a judgment lien against the property. Though the amount of the federal lien is not noted, according to Kentucky Revenue Cabinet records Kersey owes the State of Kentucky $59,106.15 personally. Tax Ease Lien Investments 1, LLC. a company that purchases delinquent tax bill from the government, had filed a certificate of delinquency lien against Kersey and his wife, Teresa. Bank officials indicated the liens must be satisfied before the bank receives any proceeds from the sale of the property.
Trosper said investigators are aware that Kersey was recently disbarred and of the financial issues and are working to determine whether any of it is connected with his death.
"We are looking into that," Trosper said. "We are looking at every possible scenario. As part of that, all aspects of Mr. Kersey’s life are being reviewed."
Friends and colleagues say they will remember Kersey as a caring person with a big heart and positive outlook.
"He was very good to the people that others might not be so good to. He always had a kind heart and a special place for them," said Angie Bowling Lewis, a victim’s advocate with the Williamsburg Police Department.
"He had one of the best hearts that you could ask for."
Kersey, a Corbin High School graduate, served in the military from 1972-1975.
He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in elementary education, and had teaching credentials in elementary education and special education.
In addition to teaching special education, Kersey once worked for the Division of Children’s Services in Lexington as a social worker.
Kersey also graduated from Chase School of Law, and was an attorney in the Whitley County area for over 22 years.
In 1989, he was elected Whitley County Attorney, and served two terms in that capacity from 1990 until the end of 1998.
The year before Kersey took over as county attorney, Whitley County collected about $59,000 in child support. During his last year in office, Whitley County collected more than $1.1 million in child support collection.
During his tenure as county attorney Kersey also created the first domestic violence victim advocate position for district court in county history.
As county attorney, Kersey was Bowling Lewis’ first boss.
"He was the best boss ever. He was one of the nicest guys with the biggest hearts. Everybody that worked for him loved him," she said.
Bowling Lewis said the thing she remembers most about Kersey was that if someone came to the office asking for help, he always tried to oblige those people.
Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said that as a rookie police officer, he got to know Kersey fairly well.
At the time, Kersey accompanied Williamsburg police on numerous raids that they conducted, which was somewhat unusual for a county attorney.
"He will definitely be missed. He was just excellent to work with. Just about every drug raid we would go on, David Kersey was right there with us," Bird said. "David just really got into it, and we were pretty active at the time. He got really involved with it."
District Judge Cathy Prewitt said Kersey’s positive attitude is something she will always remember about him.
"One thing about David, he always had such a positive disposition. No matter what may have been going on in his life, he didn’t show it. He was always very positive telling a joke or something," Prewitt said.
Whitley County Attorney Paul Winchester said the thing he will remember most about Kersey was that he was a hard worker.
"He was always busy. I felt like in the cases I had with him, he really had the best interests of his clients at heart," Winchester said.
