LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — LEX 18 has learned that Lexington death row inmate Johnathon Goforth, who was charged with first-degree murder and robbery in the death of 73-year-old Lonetta White in 1998, has died.
Both Goforth and co-conspirator Virginia Caudill were convicted of the crime in March of 2000 and sentenced to death.
Goforth's attorney, David Barron with the Department of Public Advocacy, says that Goforth had fallen ill and died at a private hospital.
"Mr. Goforth had been complaining about serious medical symptoms that should have been addressed sooner and treated more expeditiously, which quite possibly would have led to less dire consequences with his health," Barron said.
Records show that Caudill is still on death row in the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women.
On March 15, 1998, Goforth and Caudill went into the home of White, beat her to death, and burglarized her home. The two then placed her body in the trunk of her vehicle, drove to a rural area in Fayette County, and set the car on fire.
Barron was representing Goforth in both federal and state challenges to his conviction. At the time of his death, Barron states that Goforth had "two significant challenges that provided the substantial likelihood of his conviction being overturned or at least his death sentence being reversed."
