The massive manhunt for a Whitley County murder suspect has ended.
Early Thursday morning, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office received information that 38-year-old Nicholas M. Rucker, of Corbin, was at a residence on Meadow Lark Circle, in Corbin, according to Kentucky State Police. Upon arriving at the home, deputies observed Rucker flee on foot but after a short pursuit, deputies captured and arrested the suspect.
Multiple law enforcement agencies had been searching for Rucker since May 24 when he was identified as a murder suspect in the death of his girlfriend, 57-year-old Vicki Conner. Police said Rucker shot Conner to death in the small Whitley County community the night of May 22.
After becoming a suspect, Rucker was allegedly spotted entering an abandoned motel, the old Mountain View Lodge, in Corbin, but authorities did not locate anyone after searching the property. There were also sightings of Rucker on a train in Tennessee.
Whitley County Sheriff Todd Shelley said he spotted Rucker the Monday following the murder, but he, along with several other members of law enforcement, were unable to capture the suspect as he fled on foot into a densely wooded area.
Rucker has additionally been featured on an episode of the popular A&E program Live PD.
The shooting of Conner was not Rucker’s only brush with murder, as he was convicted in the 1998 shaking death of his three-month-old son, Kyle Rucker. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1999. He was released after serving 12 years.
Authorities in Knox County arrested Rucker in January on a drug charge and for being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. He was released from the Knox County Detention Center in March, as it appears a grand jury did not indict him within 60 days of the charges being filed.
He is now being held in the Knox County Detention Center where he’s been charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence, fleeing or evading police (on foot), and two counts of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, among several other charges. He’s being held on a $500,000 cash bond.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
