A Kentucky man, Ryan "Todd" Crawley, is scheduled to go to trial from May 17–28 of next year in connection with the 2019 death of April Arnett, according to the Scott County Circuit Court and WKYT [1]. Crawley was indicted earlier this year on charges of murder, kidnapping, and evidence tampering. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder and kidnapping charges, though he previously pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse [1].
The charges stem from an incident in August 2019, when Kentucky State Police were notified on August 17 about a body found off KY Highway 2328 (Old Lexington Road) in Madison County. The body, later identified as Arnett, was discovered four days after her alleged death in Scott County [1]. Court documents allege that Crawley abducted and killed Arnett, then wrapped her body, stored it under his trailer, and later attempted to dispose of it with the help of others [1].
Four other individuals, including Crawley's cousin Ronald Crawley, were also charged with assisting in the kidnapping. Authorities state that the two Crawleys transported Arnett's body, wrapped in a tarp with cinder blocks, over the Old Clays Ferry Bridge in an attempt to dispose of it in the water. When the body became stuck on a guy wire, they returned it to the vehicle and dumped it on the roadside, where it was found [1]. Ronald Crawley was arrested in Oregon in 2019 after allegedly fleeing the state [1].
Crawley's attorneys have questioned the timing of the new charges, which were filed nearly seven years after Arnett's death, and have maintained his innocence on the more serious charges [1]. Arnett, a mother of three, was remembered in her obituary for her "big heart and infectious smile" [1].
CONCLUSION
The upcoming trial of Ryan "Todd" Crawley for the 2019 kidnapping and murder of April Arnett marks a significant development in a case that has seen a nearly seven-year delay in the filing of major charges. While Crawley maintains his innocence on the most serious allegations, the court proceedings are set to address the complex circumstances surrounding Arnett's death and the involvement of multiple individuals.