MANCHESTER, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Kentucky State Police reports that they have made an arrest in a 10-year missing-person investigation in Manchester.
According to KSP, on July 16, 2016, 34-year-old Cecil Burkhart was reported missing by his brother and sister-in-law after they hadn't heard from him for about two weeks.
KSP says that in August 2026, detectives received several tips regarding the disappearance of Burkhart, which led to the discovery of human remains in Leslie County.
According to KSP, the remains were sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office, where they were confirmed to be Burkhart's and that the manner of his death was a homicide.
After further investigation, KSP says that they obtained an arrest warrant for 41-year-old Jonathan Hacker.
According to KSP, Hacker has been arrested and charged with kidnapping (victim death), murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence.
The investigation remains ongoing by KSP.
