Double murder suspect Lillie Stanton may be facing the death penalty for the murders of her daughter and granddaughter last spring.
Commonwealth’s Attorney David Smith is considering whether to pursue capital punishment in Stanton’s case, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Heidi Engel said. That decision could come by March 14, when Stanton is due back in court for a pre-trial conference.
Stanton, 48, of 233 Vaught Road, is facing two counts of murder in the deaths of her 23-year-old daughter Danel Korrey Stanton and her 22-month-old granddaughter Kaydence Ray Miers on May 20.
According to police, she admitted in two interviews that she killed them both rather than face the possibility that the child’s father would gain more visitation time during a final custody hearing in family court. The hearing was scheduled for May 23.
Stanton was scheduled for a pre-trial conference Thursday, but her attorneys asked that it be continued until March 14.
Defense attorney Kyle Morris said he is trying to schedule a mental health assessment for his client.
Following her arrest in May, Stanton was sent to the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center for treatment, but that stay was not for a mental health evaluation.
According to court documents, Stanton told police she was worried about the custody hearing. She said she wanted to take them to another state, but did not have the money. “Killing them was the best thing to do,” she said, according to her arrest citation.
Stanton reportedly admitted to killing both as they slept in her home that Sunday. She told police she took Miers to the basement where she cut her throat before returning her to bed. She said she also cut Danel Korrey Stanton’s throat, and suffocated her.
Stanton also cut her own wrists before police arrived at the scene. She was flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for treatment.
Police said there were no prior reports of violence in the home.
Contact Fred Petke at fpetke@winchestersun.com.
