The Knott County Murder House

 Back in 2021 I ran across a video on social media about the "Murder House", located in Hindman, Kentucky.

Well naturally, the name "murder house" caught my attention, so I began to look inquire how it became known as the "murder house."

Knott County Murder House - 
photo effects added to disguise the house.

The story began on Friday, September 28, 1984, when an argument ensued between the victim, 38-year-old Phyllis Slone of Hindman, and 19-year-old Geral Scott Ritchie, also of Hindman. The argument was over Ritchie's intent to marry Slone's fourteen-year-old daughter.  Slone would not agree to the marriage. During this argument Ritchie strangled Slone to death and placed her body in the trunk of her own car. Slone was five months pregnant at the time.

Scott also assaulted Slone's 13-year-old son by striking him on the head with a stick after the slaying and forced him to remain silent.

Ritchie and his girlfriend forced her 13 year old brother into the car, then drove the body of her mother to the Big Sandy River where they dumped it in the river.  After dumping the body they drove Slone's car to Clintwood, VA where, on Saturday, September 29, 1984, they attempted to get married, but the courthouse was closed.

According to reports, they left Slone's car in Virginia, returning to Hindman late Saturday after Ritchie called a relative to pick them up.

Later that night, David Slone, Phyllis' husband, took his son, David, Jr., to a Hazard, KY hospital for treatment of his head injury from the assault, and the boy began telling what had happened.

Ritchie was arrested that Sunday at his mobile home which was near the Slone residence.  After his arrest, he led the police to the site where he dumped Slone's body, where it was recovered late Sunday evening. Ritchie was then lodged in the Knott County Jail. 

clipped from the Floyd County Times, Prestonsburg, KY,
October 3, 1984

Ritchie's girlfriend was charged with aiding in the murder and was returned to the custody of her father, David.

On Thursday, October 11, 1984, Knott County Attorney James Bates asked in a preliminary hearing that Gerald Ritchie be denied bond. Bates said the slaying of Slone could be considered a capital offense because her car, a gun, and some money were allegedly taken.

District Judge Graham Martin denied the motion but did grant another motion to raise Ritchie's bond from $100,000.00 to $500,000.00.  Ned Pillarsdorf, a public defender representing Ritchie, said he would enter a motion to have the bond reduced.

The case was ordered to be taken before the grand jury.

On Thursday, October 11, 1984 in a preliminary hearing, Scott pleaded innocent.

A year later, on October 29, 1985 Ritchie's girlfriend, who was later identified as Cassandra Slone, daughter of the victim, was placed on trial for capital murder. The state was asking for the death penalty. Ritchie was also charged with capital murder, and both were charged kidnapping in the abduction of 13-year-old David Slone, Jr. Ritchie also was charged with first degree robbery in the theft of the car.

Both Ritchie and his girlfriend gave police confessions.  State Police Detective David Penman testified in the preliminary hearing that Ritchie told him that the couple also planned to kill Miss Slone's brother and her father.

It was also learned in the confessions that Cassandra continued strangling her mother when Ritchie attacked her brother with the stick. They then drove Mrs. Slone's car approximately 40 miles to the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River near the Highlands Medical Center in Prestonsburg and dumped her body into the river. The couple later drove to Clintwood, VA where they attempted to get married.

Before the trial could get underway, a plea bargain was reached.  As part of the agreement, the state reduced the murder charges to non-capital murder.  Miss Slone would receive a 30-year sentence in the death of her mother and a five-year sentence for pleading guilty to unlawful imprisonment, rather than kidnapping, of her brother.

Ritchie, who pleaded guilty but mentally ill to non-capital murder, would receive a life sentence. He also pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping, for which a 20-year term was recommended. The robbery charge was dropped as part of the agreement. And both would be eligible for parole after serving a portion of their sentences.

Clipped from the Park City Daily News, Bowling Green, KY
October 30, 1985.

 A sentencing hearing was scheduled for November 15, 1985. 

From there, the case goes cold. I could find no more information about Cassandra or Gerald. A search of the Kentucky Offender Lookup System came up empty; so, I'm assuming that both have already been released.