Brandon Guy
After two weeks of searching by police, the second suspect in a fatal fire turned himself in to officers Saturday afternoon.
Brandon Guy, 25, was identified as a suspect during a District Court hearing for the other suspect, Aaron Spencer, on Oct. 31. At that time, detectives said they had been searching for Guy since the Oct. 21 fire that killed 50-year-old Kenneth Payton.
According to police and jail records, Guy surrendered to Winchester Police Saturday afternoon and was booked on first-degree arson charges. Kentucky State Police Detective Jeremy Hamm was not available at press time but jail officials confirmed that Guy was arrested on an arson warrant from the state police.
Spencer and Guy were both in Payton’s home at 544 E. Broadway in the hours leading up to the fire. According to testimony during Spencer’s preliminary hearing in Clark District Court, Guy is the son of Payton’s girlfriend, Pamela Cantor, and a friend of Spencer. Cantor told police that all four had been drinking inside the home that evening and that an argument broke out. She said Guy and Spencer then began assaulting Payton.
“Well, she indicated her son and his friend (Spencer) assaulted Mr. Payton to the point he was critically injured and unable to move,” Hamm said during the hearing. “She said that ... she felt the argument started because of her. ... (Payton) was struck a few times until he was lying on the floor and he was kicked a few times.”
So far, neither has been charged with Payton’s death. KSP¿public information officer Paul Blanton said previously that the fire was not the sole cause of death.
After Spencer’s hearing, Hamm said they were still waiting on the final autopsy report.
Spencer told police that he left the home when he saw Cantor pull a knife and threaten to stab Payton. He said he walked to his mother’s home and slept there.
Guy will be arraigned Wednesday in Clark District Court.
Contact Fred Petke at fpetke@winchestersun.com.
Brandon Guy, 25, was identified as a suspect during a District Court hearing for the other suspect, Aaron Spencer, on Oct. 31. At that time, detectives said they had been searching for Guy since the Oct. 21 fire that killed 50-year-old Kenneth Payton.
According to police and jail records, Guy surrendered to Winchester Police Saturday afternoon and was booked on first-degree arson charges. Kentucky State Police Detective Jeremy Hamm was not available at press time but jail officials confirmed that Guy was arrested on an arson warrant from the state police.
Spencer and Guy were both in Payton’s home at 544 E. Broadway in the hours leading up to the fire. According to testimony during Spencer’s preliminary hearing in Clark District Court, Guy is the son of Payton’s girlfriend, Pamela Cantor, and a friend of Spencer. Cantor told police that all four had been drinking inside the home that evening and that an argument broke out. She said Guy and Spencer then began assaulting Payton.
“Well, she indicated her son and his friend (Spencer) assaulted Mr. Payton to the point he was critically injured and unable to move,” Hamm said during the hearing. “She said that ... she felt the argument started because of her. ... (Payton) was struck a few times until he was lying on the floor and he was kicked a few times.”
So far, neither has been charged with Payton’s death. KSP¿public information officer Paul Blanton said previously that the fire was not the sole cause of death.
After Spencer’s hearing, Hamm said they were still waiting on the final autopsy report.
Spencer told police that he left the home when he saw Cantor pull a knife and threaten to stab Payton. He said he walked to his mother’s home and slept there.
Guy will be arraigned Wednesday in Clark District Court.
Contact Fred Petke at fpetke@winchestersun.com.
