PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (LEX18) — Lauri Beasley is still grappling with the loss of her younger brother, 35-year-old father of three Thomas “TJ” Dick, after what was supposed to be a Fourth of July camping trip ended in tragedy.
“He was smarter than I think any person I had met in real life,” Beasley said. “He was just a very loyal person. If you needed something, he was there for you — whether it was money, a ride, someone to talk to, or a shoulder to cry on.” Authorities say the man accused of shooting Dick was his best friend of 20 years, and roommate, Anthony "Tony" Emerson.
According to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal shooting happened inside a camper on Turkey Gap Road in the early hours of July 6, 2025. The arrest citation states Emerson told 911 dispatchers he shot Dick after an argument while drinking that night.
An arrest citation reads that deputies recovered the handgun used in the shooting, along with other firearms and possible drugs. It also reads that Dick entered "through the door and "sprinted at him, prompting him to fire. Dick died at the scene from a gunshot to the upper body, according to the citation.
Beasley said that deputies told her that Dick and Emerson had been dropped off at the campsite by a neighbor around 1:12 a.m. “Because at 1:14 a.m., that person had texted their family, ‘Hey, I just dropped them off. I’m back at my campsite and I’m okay," She recounted. And by 1:16 a.m., Emerson was calling 911, according to the citation.
“Somehow in that five-minute period, according to Tony, an altercation about something stupid happened,” she said. “He said he was scared for his life and had no choice but to shoot my brother.”
Emerson was arrested and charged with murder, but pleaded not guilty. His attorney pushed for a speedy trial, claiming self-defense. A grand jury ultimately found the evidence consistent with self-defense and declined to indict him.
His attorney released this statement:
Beasley rejects that conclusion and says she plans to take the case to lawmakers for another review.
“My brother was not a thug that attacked his friend and got shot for it. That’s not what happened here,” she said. “He considered Tony his brother. He would have never expected Tony to do this to him.”
