LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX News) — A Fayette County grand jury will decide whether a criminal case against a man accused of tampering with evidence in the investigation of a Lexington teenager's death should move forward after the defendant waived a preliminary hearing Monday.
Bryce Chestnut, 20, appeared in Fayette District Court on a charge of tampering with physical evidence connected to the July 4 death of Tyler Jay Smith, an 18-year-old recent Lafayette High School graduate.
Chestnut waived his right to a preliminary hearing, sending the case directly to a grand jury. That hearing would have provided an opportunity for prosecutors to present evidence and testimony related to the charge.
Smith's family attended Monday's court appearance and said they are still searching for answers about the circumstances surrounding his death.
"We haven't heard anything," Smith's grandmother, Necee Anderson, said after the hearing.
Lexington police have previously described Smith's death as the result of an "accidental self-inflicted" gunshot wound. Officers responded to a home on Blue Bonnet Drive around 2:36 a.m. July 4 and found Smith suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died, according to police.
While no charges have been filed directly related to Smith's death, Chestnut faces an evidence tampering charge stemming from the investigation.
Smith's family has repeatedly called for greater transparency from law enforcement since the shooting.
In a statement released after Smith's death, relatives said they learned of his death from a private citizen rather than law enforcement and questioned how the investigation has been handled.
Despite her frustration over the lack of information released publicly, Anderson said she is thankful the case continues to move through the court system.
"I'll be here until I take my last breath," Anderson said. "I just want answers."
