Two women, one from Hardinsburg and one from Elizabethtown, have been killed in a domestic violence shooting at the Hardin County Justice Center.
The shooting occurred in a parking lot across from the justice center at approximately 7:45 a.m. central time on Monday when 46-year-old Christopher M. Elder shot his girlfriend, 37-year-old Erica Riley, of Elizabethtown, and her mother, 71-year-old Janet Riley, of Hardinsburg, as well as an unnamed male, according to Elizabethtown Police Department Public Affairs Officer Chris Denham.
Erica Riley, who was Elder’s girlfriend or former girlfriend, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Janet Riley was transported from the scene to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The male victim is in stable condition at an unknown hospital, police said.
Elder was spotted traveling west on the Western Kentucky Parkway soon after the shooting. Local law enforcement agencies were notified of the incident at 8:17 a.m., as a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) was issued for Elder, who was in possession of at least one firearm, and his vehicle.
This spurred a manhunt that passed through Grayson County and involved multiple agencies, including the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, Leitchfield Police Department, Constable Mark Stanton, and Kentucky State Police.
Grayson County Schools had “additional safety precautions in place” for approximately 30 minutes as police looked for Elder in Grayson County, particularly in the Caneyville area.
Initially, police believed Elder, who fled the scene in a Hyundai Elantra, could be traveling to northern Breckinridge County. But as investigators continued to track his location, it became clear he was not going to Breckinridge County.
The Muhlenberg County Sheriff’s Office made contact with Elder, who had ditched the Elantra and began driving a red Toyota Camry with black wheels, near Greenville and a pursuit began at approximately 9:45 a.m.
Elder, who pointed a firearm at officers as well as himself, fled south on Hwy 189 toward Hopkinsville at low speeds for about 20 miles, as the chase entered Christian County. The suspect turned onto Judges Chapel Road, a dead-end road about a half mile long approximately 10 miles north of Hopkinsville. Elder then pulled into a parking lot.
A standoff where police attempted to negotiate with Elder for approximately an hour followed, before Elder turned the gun on himself at approximately 11:15 a.m. He was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he’s in critical condition, according to Kentucky State Police.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
