In a court hearing for the man accused of murdering a five-year-old boy in Jackson County, police said the motive for the killing was an alleged $200 theft.
Kentucky State Police arrested 41-year-old Lonnie Belt, of McKee, and charged him with the killing of five-year-old James Spoonamore after authorities found the boy’s body a few days after hikers came across his severely beaten mother, Jessica Durham, who had been tossed over a cliff.
A Kentucky State Police Detective testified at the preliminary hearing that Belt was upset that Durham’s husband stole $200 from him, and on September 8, he lured Durham and her son back to his house by telling them that Durham’s husband, David, was there. His plan, according to police, was to hold them until he got his $200 back.
Police said as Durham went to the end of a hallway and into a bedroom, where David Durham was supposed to be, Belt struck her in the back of the head with a metal object. Belt then took Durham and Spoonamore to his car, with Durham blindfolded and bleeding.
Belt drove around with Durham and Spoonamore, stopping several times and beating Durham repeatedly.
He then threw her off a nearly 80-foot cliff, leaving her for dead. She was located by hikers about 24 hours after being thrown off the cliff. Police said that Belt killed Spoonamore, hitting him in the back of the head with a metal object, because he witnessed the assault.
Belt, who is being held in the Jackson County Detention Center, faces charges of murder, assault, kidnapping an adult, kidnapping a minor, and tampering with physical evidence. The case now goes to the Jackson County Grand Jury.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
