2017 Kentucky Murder Finally Has an Answer After Investigators Say Suspect Confessed to Multiple People

For nearly a decade, the family of Clancy Ray Adkins lived without knowing who was responsible for his death.

Now, investigators say they have finally identified the man they believe killed him.

There is one major complication: the suspected killer is already dead.

Credit : Justice for Clancy Ray Adkins/Facebook

A Murder That Went Unsolved for Years

Clancy Ray Adkins was fatally shot at his home in Island Creek, Kentucky, on February 4, 2017.

According to investigators and reports cited by PEOPLE, Adkins had planned to spend the evening making dinner and watching a University of Kentucky basketball game with friends.

Instead, he was killed inside his home.

His family spent years searching for answers as the case eventually went cold.

Adkins’ sister, Beulah Harrison, previously described the uncertainty as something that never left the family.

For years, they had no clear answer about who had taken his life or why.

Credit : Justice for Clancy Ray Adkins/Facebook

Investigators Reopen the Case

The case received new attention after Kentucky State Police Detective Logan Hillerman was assigned to review the investigation in August 2025.

Investigators worked with the Pikeville Police Department to examine evidence from the original case and conduct additional interviews.

Those renewed efforts eventually led investigators to Kenneth “Bud” Hall.

According to investigative records, interviews with people connected to Hall produced information that investigators considered significant.

Authorities say Hall had allegedly told multiple people that he was responsible for Adkins’ death and had threatened some of them to keep them from speaking about it.

One person interviewed by investigators reportedly said Hall claimed he had used a .22-caliber firearm in the killing.

The allegations have not been tested in court because Hall died before authorities identified him as the suspected killer.

Why Investigators Believe Hall Was Responsible

Pike Commonwealth’s Attorney Bill Slone later reviewed the investigative findings.

In an August letter obtained by WYMT, Slone said the evidence established probable cause that Hall murdered Adkins.

The prosecutor added that if Hall were still alive, authorities would seek a murder charge against him.

Because Hall died approximately four years ago, however, prosecutors cannot bring a criminal case against him.

That means the investigation can provide answers to Adkins’ family, but it cannot result in a criminal trial or conviction against Hall.

A Possible Motive Emerges

Investigators also explored a possible motive involving jealousy.

According to the records cited by WYMT, investigators believed the killing may have been connected to a previous relationship between Adkins and Hall’s wife.

Hall’s widow reportedly rejected the idea that her husband was a murderer.

She also told investigators that Hall had previously claimed he had killed multiple people while under the influence of drugs, but she said she did not believe those statements.

The conflicting accounts became part of the investigation as detectives worked to separate rumors from information that could be independently supported.

An Answer, But No Trial

After reviewing the investigative findings, prosecutors informed Adkins’ family about the conclusion reached by investigators.

For relatives who had spent years wondering what happened, the development offered something they had been waiting for: an official explanation of who investigators believe was responsible.

But there will be no courtroom trial.

Hall cannot defend himself against the allegations, and there can be no conviction because he is deceased.

For Adkins’ family, the latest development is therefore less about punishment and more about finally understanding what happened nearly a decade ago.

The case is a reminder of how difficult some investigations can become when crucial evidence is limited and years pass before new information comes to light.

After years of uncertainty, investigators now say they have an answer to one of the family’s biggest questions.

The man they believe was responsible, however, will never face a jury.

📌 SOURCES

1. PEOPLE
   Report on the renewed investigation into Clancy Ray Adkins’ 2017 murder.
2. WYMT
   Reporting cited in the investigative records concerning the identification of Kenneth “Bud” Hall.