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Widow remembers Kentucky trooper shot and killed in line of duty days before his birthday: 'My best friend'

According to KSP, Trooper Hayden Phillips performed a traffic stop on a vehicle in Warren County around 2 p.m. CT. During that stop, Trooper Hayden Philips was shot and killed and the vehicle fled, starting an "exhaustive search" by multiple agencies. Post 3 Public Affairs Officer Trooper Katan Parker thanked the community for their support during this difficult time, and asked the community to keep both the agency and Phillips' family in their thoughts and prayers. "Hayden was our brother...I believe I can speak for everyone at Post 3 when I say that Hayden was special, he was. We're going to miss him, we sure are, we're gonna miss him so much." Parker said.

'We lost a family member': State mourns the loss of fallen KSP Trooper Hayden Phillips

By: WLEX Web Staff

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WARREN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — The widow of fallen Kentucky State Police Trooper Hayden Phillips is remembering her husband on the eve of what would have been his birthday. Trooper Phillips was killed in the line of duty on Monday.

According to KSP, Trooper Phillips performed a traffic stop on a vehicle in Warren County around 2 p.m.

During that stop, he was shot and killed and the vehicle fled, starting an "exhaustive search" by multiple agencies.

"I’ve laid here all night waiting for him to come home… for the radio to click off, the gun belt to hang," his wife, Jordan Phillips, posted on Facebook. "My Hay… my best friend. Daddy. I’m so sorry… I promise to pick up all the pieces and force myself to carry on for your boys. I know you would want me to. I can’t even fathom getting past the next minute without you."

Trooper Phillips, a father of three young sons, would have turned 29 on Wednesday.

"The boys and I cheated and give him his presents early… we couldn’t ever hold out the whole time," Jordan Phillips wrote on Facebook. "I’m so thankful we did. We celebrated two weekends in a row. He was just the kind of guy who is easy to celebrate."

In the post, which has been shared thousands of times, Jordan Phillips requested for those who wish to help her family to donate through the Kentucky State Police Foundation. Click here to make a donation.

Police have identified the suspect as Emonnie Branch, 51, of Portland, Tennessee. Branch is charged with murder of a first responder and fugitive from out of the state.

Email tributes or memories of Trooper Hayden Phillips to the LEX18 Newsroom.