(WKYT) – Jake McClure appeared before a judge Wednesday in connection with a deadly shooting on July 6. He is charged with murder — domestic violence in the death of 64-year-old Eddie Matthews.
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Detective testifies about the night of the shooting
Lt. Todd Allen, a detective with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, was called to testify. According to the arrest citation, McClure and Matthews were in a romantic relationship and lived together at a home on Barker Lane East. Allen said the two had been in a relationship for several years.
Allen said McClure called 9-1-1 to report the shooting. Allen said McClure told police during an interview that the couple had been arguing throughout the day.
“At the end of the interview he confirmed that that uh he had got upset while they were eating dinner. He had kind of slammed his plate down and uh kind of thought in his head, should I do it? Should I not do it? He agreed that he was thinking should he pick up the gun that he had that was on the table,” Allen said.
Allen said McClure fired a shot into the ground, that Matthews then tried to grab him, and that McClure then fired the gun into Matthews’ chest.
When asked, Allen told the courtroom that around seven to ten officers from the sheriff’s office responded to the call but that there were no body cameras.
Defense raises concerns
William Maddox II, McClure’s public defender, said the circumstances of the case troubled him.
“Mr. Matthews was 64 and my client is only 34. Add to this my client cannot read or write and was in special education his entire time through school. And it just looks even worse. So that bothers me,” Maddox said.
Maddox also addressed the lack of body camera footage from the law enforcement agency involved in the case.
“I’ll just be blunt, it is my contention that the only reason for a law enforcement agency not to have body cameras in this day and age is if they don’t want people to see what they’re doing,” Maddox said.
Family background
McClure’s mother, Cassandra McClure, and sister, Kelly Grant, attended the hearing. They said McClure and the victim, Eddie Matthews, met in Casey County in 2016 and moved to Berea together around 2020. They said McClure sought an emergency protective order in Casey County against Matthews. Court records show it was not granted due to insufficient evidence.
Grant said her brother had been autistic and that the age difference between McClure and Matthews had always stood out to the family.
“Eddie was 30 years older than my brother, which we always found a little odd. But you know, if he was happy, we were happy,” Grant said.
Case sent to grand jury; bond unchanged
The judge moved the case to a grand jury. Despite a contested hearing, McClure’s bond will remain at $1 million. He is being held at the Madison County Detention Center.
Cassandra McClure said she was frustrated by the ruling.
“The judge himself even said that Jake was not doing anything because he has no background, but then turned right around and still left it at the $1 million when Jake is not a violent person,” she said.
Grant added, “I do send condolences to Eddie’s family.”
A GoFundMe has been started to support Matthews’ family.