MADISON/SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The family of a 39-year-old woman was killed six years ago, reflects on who April Arnett was before she died.
On Wednesday, LEX 18 shared with you new arrests that had been made in connection to that 2019 homicide. Today, LEX 18's Kayleigh Randle sats down with her sister, Cara Parsons, who shares fond memories of April and whether she believes they're closer to justice being served.
Arnett was a mother to three kids, a sister, and a loving friend. Her parents, Sue Stivers, Charlie Stivers, Lonnie Arnett, and Bonita Arnett along with her step-sisters, Amanda and Tiffany, continue to hold her memory close.
"She loved her children. She loved them until the day she died," admits Parsons, who says Arnett had the biggest heart.
“Oh my god her smile. You don’t need lights and it still does in those pictures," Parsons remembers. “One of our favorite trips was going up there to Kings Island and it was pouring down rain and all of us were in ponchos, but that was one of our best trips.”
In August 2019, Parsons received life-altering news. Arnett was found dead on the side of Lexington Road in Madison County. “Yeah we didn’t find out until about six, six-thirty and that’s just a punch in the gut. And one of those things that you’re like no, I don’t believe it.”
Soon after, police arrested Ryan "Todd" Crawley and his cousin, Ronald "Doug" Crawley, on charges of evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse. They pleaded guilty to those charges in 2024.
“You see all of that stuff on TV, like Dateline 22, and you think 'oh my gosh does that really happen?' And then here we are, we’re really going through it. You know in real time," said Parsons. "I don’t think April would ever understand how big of a hole she did leave. Which is huge.”
Three more people have been arrested in connection with her death: Bridget Lyons, Jenny Keller, and James Watson.
“I wanted to do a tattoo in honor of her. I decided she had a butterfly on her back, so I decided instead of making one of my own I copied hers. Then I had a letter she had written me and of course at the end of it she had, ‘Love April,' so I put that on there so I could always have her by my side," Parsons says she rubs the name 'April' on her arm whenever she needs to feel close to her.
Although Cara hoped arrests would have come sooner, she believes this is a step towards justice for April.
Parsons says a memory that truly showed her character was when Parsons' husband lost his job. “The next thing I know, like two weeks into this she came over there, had all of the kids in the car. She brought in grocery bag after grocery bag to make sure we had food," details Parsons. "And all of the stuff in it was like my favorite stuff to cook and eat. It wasn’t just like two or three bags it was five, six, seven bags she brought in.”
“[April] intrigued by everything and wanted to live. I mean, you know, everything excited her," said Parsons. “I hope that they get the maximum sentence for each sentence and each charge. Is what I hope.”
All five suspects will be answering to those charges over the next few months:
- Jenny Keller is scheduled for an arraignment on Monday, July 7, at 9 a.m.
- Bridget Lyons is scheduled for a status hearing on Monday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m.
- James Watson is scheduled for a status hearing on Monday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m.
- Ronald "Doug" Crawley is scheduled for a status hearing on Monday, Sept. 8, at 1p.m.
- Ryan "Todd" Crawley is scheduled for a status hearing on Monday, Sept. 8 at 1 p.m.
