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Winchester woman who killed daughter and granddaughter gets a life sentence

By Greg Kocher - Herald-leader.com

February 20, 2014

WINCHESTER — The woman who pleaded guilty last month to two counts of murder in the deaths of her daughter and granddaughter was sentenced Thursday to life without the possibility of parole.

Lillie Stanton, 49, of Winchester thus avoided the death penalty. The sentencing took less than 30 seconds as Clark Circuit Judge William Clouse pronounced the sentence. Stanton said nothing. She declined a Herald-Leader request for an interview.

Stanton was indicted in 2012 in the deaths of her daughter, Danel Korrey Stanton, 23, and her 22-month-old granddaughter, Kaydence Ray Miers. Stanton admitted to Winchester police that she slashed the victims' throats because she feared that Kaydence's father, Jonathon Miers, was about to gain more visitation time, according to court records. She admitted that she cut her own throat and wrists after the killings, police said.

The deaths occurred May 20, 2012, at a house on Vaught Road in Winchester where Lillie Stanton lived with her daughter and granddaughter.

Lillie Stanton told police that she lifted Kaydence Miers from a bed where she was sleeping, carried her to the basement and slit her throat, according to court documents. She said she then cut Danel Korrey Stanton's throat and, when that wasn't successful, suffocated her.

Lillie Stanton's former husband, Robert Stanton, arrived home in late afternoon and found the bodies. He then called police.

Lillie Stanton was flown to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital with self-inflicted wounds. Police said they arrested her at the hospital after she admitted to the slayings.

Winchester woman tells judge: 'I killed my daughter and granddaughter'

By Greg Kocher - Herald-leader.com

January 9, 2014

WINCHESTER — The woman accused of killing her daughter and granddaughter pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of murder, thus avoiding the death penalty.

Lillie Stanton, 49, of Winchester, faces a recommended sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

She was indicted last year on two counts of murder in the deaths of her daughter, Danel Korrey Stanton, 23, and her granddaughter, 22-month-old Kaydence Ray Miers.

Clark Circuit Judge William Clouse scheduled sentencing for Feb. 20.

During Wednesday's sentencing hearing, Clouse asked Stanton to tell him what happened.

After a long pause, Stanton said, "I killed my daughter and granddaughter." She wiped away tears as Clouse continued to ask her questions.

Stanton admitted to Winchester police that she slashed the victims' throats because she feared that Kaydence's father, Jonathon Miers, was about to gain more visitation time, according to court records. She also admitted that she cut her own throat and wrists after the killings, police said.

The deaths occurred May 20 at a house on Vaught Road in Winchester where Lillie Stanton lived with her daughter and granddaughter.

Lillie Stanton told police that she lifted Kaydence Miers from a bed where she was sleeping, carried her to the basement and slit her throat, according to court documents. She said she then cut Korrey Stanton's throat and, when that wasn't successful, suffocated her.

Lillie Stanton's former husband, Robert Stanton, arrived home in late afternoon on May 20 and discovered the killings. He then called police.

Lillie Stanton was airlifted to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital for treatment of her self-inflicted wounds. Police said they arrested her at the hospital after she admitted to the slayings.

Citation reveals Lillie Stanton's motive for slayings of daughter, granddaughter

Grandmother released from hospital, jailed for double homicide

By Fred Petke - The Winchester Sun

May 24, 2012

Double murder suspect Lillie Stanton told police she decided to kill her daughter and granddaughter rather than face the possibility of the child’s father gaining more visitation time.

Stanton, 48, of 233 Vaught Road, said she was worried about the situation between her daughter and the child’s father, according to her arrest citation.

In the citation, she told police that she thought about taking 23-year-old Danel Korrey Stanton and 22-month-old Kaydence Ray Miers out of state, but did not have the money. She said she thought “killing them was the best thing to do,” according to the citation.

Danel Stanton and Miers were found dead Sunday afternoon in the home they shared with Lillie Stanton.

A final custody hearing was scheduled for Wednesday between Danel Stanton and the child’s father Jonathon Miers in Clark Family Court, according to court records.

Lillie Stanton cut her own wrists and throat Sunday afternoon, but was flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center. She was released Wednesday afternoon, and was brought to the Winchester Police Department, where she was interviewed again. She was then jailed on two counts of murder.

She still wore a bandage on her neck and casts on both wrists as detectives walked her to the Clark County Detention Center Wednesday afternoon.

Winchester Police Capt. James Hall said Lillie Stanton’s statement Wednesday matched the one she made from the hospital Monday in which she admitted to killing them both.

According to the citation, Lillie Stanton said both Danel Stanton and Kaydence Miers were asleep in their beds Sunday. She said she took Kaydence Miers to the basement and cut her throat before returning her to bed. She said she also cut Danel Stanton’s throat, but was unsuccessful in killing her. She told police she suffocated her.

In a press conference Tuesday, Hall said there was a gap in time between the deaths and when Lillie Stanton injured herself. Lillie Stanton’s ex-husband Robert Stanton, who also lives in the home, discovered the scene and called 911 around 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Hall said officers also confiscated several blood-covered knives from the home and sent them to the crime lab for analysis.

There were no previous reports of violence in the home, he said.

Funeral arrangements for Kaydence Miers will be in Oklahoma, where her father has family, and services for Danel Stanton will be private.

Court officials said Lillie Stanton would probably be arraigned Wednesday in Clark District Court.

Neighbors grapple with stabbing deaths of Clark County woman, toddler

By Jim Warren - Herald-leader.com

May 21, 2012

As police waited Monday to talk to the wounded mother of a woman who, with her toddler, was found stabbed to death Sunday in Winchester, neighbors grappled with the killings and remembered the victims.

Danel Korrey Stanton, 23, and 22-month-old Kaydence Ray Miers were found in a house at 233 Vaught Road late Sunday afternoon, dead of apparent stab wounds, Capt. James Hall said Monday.

Lillie Stanton, Danel's mother and Kaydence's grandmother, also was stabbed and was flown to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital. She was in serious condition, Hall said.

Police hope Lillie Stanton can tell them what happened, but she's not in a condition to speak now, Hall said Monday. She had cuts to her arms and throat, police said.

No arrests have been made.

Hall said neighbors did not report seeing anyone fleeing the stabbing scene. He did not identify any suspects. Police have interviewed other family members, he said.

Danel Stanton, who went by Korrey, was scheduled for a court hearing in Winchester at 9 a.m. Wednesday with Jonathon Miers, who is listed as Kaydence's father in a birth announcement.

Police were called to Vaught Road about 5:30 p.m. Sunday to investigate "a possible DOA," Hall said. They arrived to find Korrey Stanton and Kaydence Miers in a bedroom. Lillie Stanton was conscious when officers arrived, according to The Winchester Sun.

The three lived together in the Vaught Road house, according to Warren Sutton, who with his wife, Mary, often visits the neighborhood where his mother lives. His daughter attended school with Korrey Stanton.

Warren Sutton said he regularly saw Korrey Stanton pushing her daughter around the neighborhood in a baby carriage.

"She was a pretty little thing; she had blonde hair down her back and she was just beautiful," Sutton said of the youngster.

As she contemplated the deaths Monday, Mary Sutton kept shaking her head saying, "It's crazy. It's just crazy. I don't understand it."

Neighbor Angel Jackson said the women had lived in the house next door since before Jackson moved to Vaught Road four years ago. Robert Stanton, Lillie Stanton's ex-husband and Korrey's father, lived periodically with the three when he was not on the road working, Jackson said.

Robert Stanton owns the house, Jackson said. He apparently is an electrical worker, according to records at the Clark County Courthouse.

Jackson said her fiancé went outside to mow the yard Sunday about 5 p.m. and noticed Robert Stanton in front of the Stanton home. When her fiancé asked an upset Stanton what was wrong, Stanton told him, "I don't want to talk about it," Jackson said.

Jackson said her fiancé overheard Stanton say on a cellphone call, "They're all dead." Police arrived moments later, she said.

The Winchester Sun reported Monday that police were called to the scene by Robert Stanton.

Jackson said she often went next door to sit in the front yard and talk with Lillie and Korrey Stanton.

Lillie Stanton "was crazy about both of them," Jackson said of Korrey and Kaydence.

The Stanton house is a small one-story brick dwelling. The only lingering indications of any trouble Monday were a few bits of yellow police tape on the street and behind the house.

A baby carriage and various toys were standing near the front door; the outside light by the front door was burning.

Two merrily colored signs heralding the arrival of spring were posted at the residence, one on the front door, the other on the lawn.

Just below the front window, someone had written on the bricks in white chalk, "Happy Easter."