TheTimesTribune.com, Corbin, KY

June 29, 2009

Grubb indicted for killing Johnson

Knox County grand jury also indicts Walters for helping cover up murder


By Samantha Swindler / Managing Editor

The man accused of killing Jeremy Johnson and the man accused of helping cover up the crime were indicted last week by a Knox County grand jury.

Daniel Grubb, 23, of Woodbine, was indicted for murder for allegedly hitting Johnson on the head with a cinder block last June and killing him. Bobby Walters, 64, of Barbourville, was indicted with tampering with physical evidence for his alleged involvement in the crime.

During a preliminary hearing, police testified that Grubb and Johnson had been arguing over pills and money before Johnson’s murder.

Johnson was last seen leaving the now defunct Angels & Wings Restaurant in Corbin last June. About a month after his disappearance, his car was found on a rural path off of KY 459, about four miles from Johnson’s home. On May 15, police discovered his body buried off a dirt road in Woodbine.

In a separate case, Knox Central High School teacher Jason Davis was indicted for second-degree terroristic threatening for allegedly making threats during class time.

Davis was arrested May 19 on felony charges of second-degree terroristic threatening after allegedly making the statements to two different classrooms that “he would like to relieve stress” by killing about 500 people, and that he would, or the high school would, make national headlines on or before the last day of school. The indictment lists seven witnesses in the case aside from police officers.

“Either this is a misunderstanding, or something I said got twisted,” Davis said in an earlier interview. “I’m not a danger or a threat to anybody.”

Other indictments included:

• Timothy Cantrell, 33, of Woodbine, for first-degree fleeing or evading, first-degree persistent felony offender, and second-degree assault against Arlis Cureton

• Heather Warren, 24, of Barbourville, 10 counts of criminal possession of forged instruments totaling $5,400

• Kenny Wyatt, 33, of Gray, receiving stolen property greater than $300 for allegedly possessing a pickup truck that had been stolen from Armando Cima, first-degree fleeing or evading police

• Casey Swafford, 25, of Gray, receiving stolen firearm allegedly stolen from Richard McAdams

• Jason Bailey, 28, of Barbourville, third-degree burglary, theft by unlawful taking greater than $500 and third-degree criminal mischief for allegedly stealing from Lyle Hammon’s garage, and second-degree persistant felony offender for a prior burglary conviction

• Dewayne Swafford, 34, of Barbourville, driving while license is revoked or suspended for third DUI offense, theft of identity (two counts), DUI third offense, failure to maintain insurance, first-degree persistant felony offender

• William Sparks, 36, of Artemus, bail jumping

• Angela Hibbard, 24, of Gray, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument

• Omia Roark, 45, of Gray, two counts of second-degree forgery for allegedly forging Tabitha Miller’s signature on checks that were cashed at C&C; Gas Station

• Amy Wagers, 28, of Barbourville, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument

Cases continued by the grand jury were those of Angela Hibbard (other counts), James Yeager, Daniel Edwards, James McDonald, Robert Schipler, Jacqueline Smith, Ronnie Smith, Robert Taylor, Robert Trumph, Michael Mills, Randy Mills, Kathy Smith, Jeff Vaughn, Jimmy Johns, Bennie King and Joseph Yeager.