CLARK COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Three overdose deaths in three separate counties that police say are all connected to one man: Brian Epperson.
44-year-old Brian Epperson is charged with murder in Powell County, but was in Clark County court on Wednesday for a video voyeurism charge.
"Fearless. Passionate. Very strong," Krista Silva said, describing one of her closest friends, 32-year-old Kristen Morris. "She lived completely out loud like you didn't have to worry about what was going on in her head. She said what she meant, meant what she said."
Silva is now left with those memories after Morris was found dead from an overdose, but police say what happened in that Stanton Airbnb on May 31 was murder.
"Her mom posted that she had passed. She didn't want to discuss the details. I respected that for a while. We were just devastated," Silva said.
LEX 18 first broke the news last week when Epperson was charged with murder, along with an already existing charge of illegal drug possession in Powell County.
A citation reads, "57,000 NG/ML of methamphetamine was found in her blood."
During a search warrant of Epperson's phone, police say they found Amazon purchases of blank pill capsules; the same capsules found in the Airbnb with Morris.
"Krissy never did drugs. Ever. It was never- she never drank. Never did any hardcore drugs. No one ever knew of that. If you asked any of her friends they were like, there's no way she OD'ed," said Silva, who says Morris was a hardworking woman.
She was an entrepreneur who owned several businesses, such as photography and knitting, and was even a part of a Jeep club that helped empower women.
Wednesday morning, Epperson was back in court in Clark County for his newest charge: video voyeurism. The charge that was added to another illegal drug possession charge that police say is connected to a second overdose death. His case was waived to the grand jury.
Morris now leaves behind a 12-year-old daughter.
"Harlow was her world. I mean they had a very close relationship. A mother daughter relationship, but definitely a friendship as well," said Sylvia. "And she's left a huge hole. She's left a huge hole in a lot of peoples lives."
During Tuesday's hearing in Powell County, a KSP detective testified that Epperson is also connected to Reacheal Dawson's deadly methamphetamine overdose in Clark County from back in June.
Investigators say they're now looking into a woman's overdose death at a Lexington motel from back in November 2024. Police say the newest case shares many similarities with the other two.
