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Attorney Will Seek Death Penalty In Murder Of Pikeville Police Officer

Posted at 1:54 PM, May 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-15 13:54:02-04

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (EKB) – Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Bartley announced at an event on Tuesday that he intends to seek the death penalty in the murder of Pikeville Police Officer Scotty Hamilton.

John Hall is charged with ambushing and killing Officer Hamilton. Supporting Heroes reports that Hamilton was investigating the report of a stolen vehicle when he had his fatal encounter with Hall.

"Officer Hamilton followed what appeared to be fresh tracks in the snow leading to the back of the residence. As he peered around the back of the house, he was shot multiple times in ambush. Officer Hamilton was pronounced dead at the scene," according to a statement by the group.

Hall then led state police on a 24-hour manhunt before he was captured near the Pike and Floyd County line.

Bartley made the announcement at the Officer Appreciation Ceremony at the East Kentucky Expo Center.  He told those at the event that the paperwork making that decision official was sitting on his desk. He signed and filed the paperwork, which you can read in full below: