Published: January 25, 2008 11:18 pm         

Re-investigation of 24-year-old homicide lands Kentucky man in jail

TERRE HAUTE — A Kentucky man awaits extradition to Terre Haute, accused of a murder for which another man has served more than 23 years in prison.

Kevin Mark Weeks, 44, of LaGrange, Ky., was arrested by Indiana State Police Lt. Chris Wilson and Kentucky State Police at his place of employment at 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Weeks remained in the Shelby County Jail in Kentucky on Friday night accused of murder, felony murder and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.

The arrest came as part of the re-investigation of the near-24-year-old homicide case of 89-year-old Loretta Keith of West Terre Haute.

David L. Scott, then 17 and now 40, was arrested and ultimately convicted of the murder, but has now filed a petition in Vigo County Superior Court Division 6 for release, according to Indiana State Police.

According to the probable-cause affidavit filed by the Vigo County Prosecutor’s office, Keith was killed April 18, 1984 in her bed.

Drops of blood were found near the kitchen door of Keith’s home, surrounding shattered glass from the broken door through which the killer allegedly gained entry.

A nylon stocking with blood on it was reportedly found some distance away from the victim.

Scott and Paul Wycoff were arrested for the murder based on a secretly recorded conversation with Clifford “Sonny” Allison, according to the affidavit.

Scott has said he did not know the conversation was being recorded, and that he lied to impress Allison.

The blood on the stocking was compared to samples from Keith, Scott and Wycoff, none of which reportedly matched.

Scott went on trial for murder, and the jury heard the tape of his confession.

Scott was convicted of the murder on April 26, 1985, and Wycoff was never prosecuted on the charges, according to the affidavit.

In 2007, Scott’s sister Carol Smith prevailed upon Indiana State Police Capt. Dale Mullikin and Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt to allow for a re-examination of the blood samples using DNA analysis.

Wilson was assigned the investigation and determined that on May 2, 1985, an investigator for the Vigo County Public Defender’s office took a recorded statement from Thomas Abrams in which he named Weeks as the murderer.

According to the affidavit, Abrams claimed to have been Weeks’ driver when Weeks took a tire tool into Keith’s house and returned with a bloody finger, as well as a bloody tire tool and a watch.

Blood samples obtained by Lt. Wilson last year showed that Weeks’ DNA matched all seven genetic markers of the blood on the stocking, and according to the affidavit, Abrams’ blood was excluded.

A State Police investigator said in 1984 that Keith’s head had been struck by a hydraulic jack between five and 10 times.

Brian Boyce can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.