Friday, September 11, 2009

Lexington, KY: Former Ky. lawmaker Steve Nunn arrested; ex-fiancée found murdered

By Stephenie Steitzer and Tom Loftus
The Courier-Journal

Hours after his ex-fiancée was found murdered in Lexington, former Republican gubernatorial candidate and lawmaker Steve Nunn was arrested Friday morning for allegedly violating a protective order against the murder victim.

Gov. Steve Beshear spokesman Jay Blanton said Nunn was found in Barren County with a gunshot wound.

Kentucky State Police spokesman David Jude said that within the last hour Nunn, “has been located in Barren County. He is in State Police custody for violation of a protective order.”

No other charges have been filed again Nunn.

Nunn's ex-fiancée, Amanda Ross, 29, was pronounced dead Friday morning at Lexington's University of Kentucky Medical Center after she was shot in a parking lot at 541 W. Short St., just before 6:30 a.m. Friday morning, according to Lexington police and the Fayette County coroner.

Jude referred questions about the shooting to Lexington police.

Lexington Police spokesman Lt. Doug Pape said “we are not prepared to release any information yet on Mr. Nunn's situation, wherever he may be. I can't confirm any information on him at this point.”

A judge in March ordered Nunn to have no contact with Ross for a year because of an alleged domestic-violence incident in February.

Ross was a division director for the Kentucky Department of Insurance.

Nunn, the son of former Gov. Louie B. Nunn, ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2003. He recently served as Beshear's deputy secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. He resigned from that position in the wake of the domestic violence incident.

In a statement, Gov. Steve Beshear said: “What happened this morning was an indescribable tragedy. A young life lost so soon is always heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Amanda Ross and all others affected by this tragedy.”

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