LEE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A murder-suicide in Lee County involving a special deputy and a social worker now has people across the state lobbying for change.
According to State Police, Hayley Davidson was killed by Bearl Ashcraft Jr. inside their home, before he took his own life.
Taylor Bradley, who grew up with Davidson, has started a petition that has already gained more than 7,000 signatures in less than two days.
"This is a girl, literally, I've known since she was this big. I've watched her grow," Bradley said.
Bradley, a domestic violence survivor herself, says Davidson's death triggered memories from her own past and motivated her to take action.
"I feel connected to any and all that have been there and done that," Bradley said. "I know the pain and I know the struggle and I know the heartache."
The petition calls for a statewide domestic violence offender registry that would function similarly to the sex offender registry list, allowing people to search if someone in their area has been convicted of a serious domestic violence offense.
"This is a change that's absolutely needed, and there's a lot of opinions about it," Bradley said.
The movement has already caught the attention of Kentucky lawmakers. Bradley has a meeting scheduled in Frankfort to discuss turning her vision into legislation.
"It has been a wild, wild ride," Bradley said.
As someone who escaped an abusive relationship, Bradley understands the unique challenges victims face, especially in Davidson's case.
"When you feel scared, who do you call? You call family, call friends. More importantly, you're taught and trained. We call 911 right? How is she supposed to call 911 he was 911 he was a deputy, so who was she supposed to call to get her help?" Bradley said.
Bradley's advocacy began with a Facebook post where she wrote, "I would do everything I could to make sure her (Hayley's) death wasn't in vain."
That post has been seen by nearly 2 million people, including Teresa Coomer Mays, who works for the city of Beattyville. Mays helped connect Bradley with potential sponsors for this bill in the Kentucky legislature.
"They need to know I hear you, I see you. Let your voice be heard. We need a change it. Something has to be done here," Bradley said.
