UPDATE: June 4 at 9:50 a.m.
Anthony B. Manning and his mother, Barbara T. Manning plead not guilty in the 1992 murder cold case of Anna Lee Manning on Thursday during their arraignments.
UPDATE: June 3 at 9 a.m.
The arraignments for two people connected to the 1992 murder of Anna Lee Manning, Anthony B. Manning and his mother, Barbara T. Manning, have been moved up and will occur on June 4.
The arraignments in the case were originally scheduled for June 15, according to court documents.
UPDATE: May 20 at 11 p.m.
The 1992 murder case of Anna Lee Manning remains unsolved, but two people are currently in custody in connection with her death — including her own estranged husband.
Anthony Manning was indicted on charges of murder, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse, nearly 35 years after Anna Lee Manning's disappearance.
The crime scene is a home belonging to Barbra Manning, Anthony's mother, who is also facing several charges for her alleged involvement, including murder.
Investigators are currently searching 148 Spring Valley Road. Manning's aunt, Elsie Williams, says she has known for decades that her niece is buried there — and claims she spent years begging law enforcement to search the plot of land.
"Never heard one word from them. They said they'd check in with me every so often. I've lived here for the whole 30 years and nobody's come to that door and told me nothing," Williams said
Williams, who is battling cancer, says finding her niece's body is all she wants before she dies.
"I wanted to find her before I died. They're ain't nobody left," Williams said. "I've been praying every night, every night for the last few months that they would find her," Williams said.
Williams says she and Anna met in grade school and that Anthony Manning was abusive for most of their relationship. She says she had reservations about him from the start.
"He was a nice looking boy, but I knew a lot about the family. I knew a lot about them, see, and I didn't want her with him," Williams said.
Williams says Anna faced hardship throughout her life, including abuse from her parents as a child. When Williams took her in, she says Anna attempted suicide as a teenager.
"When I took them, nobody else wanted them," Williams said.
Despite Anna's death, Williams says she wants her niece to know she matters. Now, with the search underway, Williams says she finally feels like they are close to bringing her body home.
"I never met such horrible people," Williams said.
UPDATE: May 20 at 5:30 p.m.
Two people have been arrested in connection to the 1992 cold case murder of Anna Lee Manning in Boyle County.
Anna's estranged husband, Anthony B. Manning, 59, of Harrodsburg, and his mother, Barbara T. Manning, 76, were indicted Monday in connection to her murder.
Anthony Manning faces charges of murder, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse. Barbara Manning faces charges of murder, complicity to murder, complicity to tamper with physical evidence, and complicity to abuse a corpse.
Both are being held on a $2 million cash bond and are expected to be arraigned in court next month.
Boyle County Sheriff's detectives say the murder is closer than ever to being solved.
On Wednesday, detectives were back at a home belonging to Barbara Manning located on Spring Valley Road, searching for evidence and digging several holes behind the home.
Crystal Williams, one of the people assisting in the search, said her father used to buy scrap off the property. She remembers coming to the property and seeing a well.
"I was trying to help them locate where that well's at," Williams said.
When asked whether she believes detectives are close to finding Anna, Williams said, "Yes."
It is not the first time Anna's case has led back to the house. In 2016, detectives were digging holes on the property.
"I'm just glad people are listening and wanting to find out what happened to Anna because I think her family deserves that," said Williams.
LEX 18 was on the scene Wednesday as detectives searched the Spring Valley Road home.
"It's just been a long time coming. 34 years, it's a long time," said Williams.
Original Story:
An indictment reported that 59-year-old Anthony B. Manning of Harrodsburg was indicted on May 18 on charges of murder, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse in connection with the 1992 murder of Anna Manning in Boyle County.
In addition, 76-year-old Barbara T. Manning was indicted the same day on charges of murder, complicity to murder, complicity to tamper with physical evidence, and complicity to abuse a corpse related to the same alleged murder.
Both indictments were filed in Boyle Circuit Court in the 50th Judicial Circuit. Both Anthony Manning and Barbara Manning are being held on $2,000,000 cash bail.
