From WRIL -
Since 10:30pm on April 1, 2020 21-year-old Wilmer Jose Perez had been missing when his brother last saw him leave work at Sazon Mexican Restaurant on his way home walking toward Cumberland Avenue. During the search for Perez, investigators felt there was foul play involved in his disappearance.
Three people are now in jail charged with the death of Perez. The complaint warrant taken out by Officer Tyler Hensley of the Cumberland Police Department states that from April 1, 2020 to April 3, 2020, 42 year old Fess O’Neal Polly of Letcher, Kentucky caused the death of Perez. The warrant further states that Polly, along with three other defendants - identified as 19 year old Destiny Stamper of Cumberland, 35 year old Amanda Whitehead of Cumberland, and another individual not yet in custody – then “destroyed, mutilated, concealed, removed, or altered physical evidence of the crime.”
The trio has been lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.
Fess O’Neal Polly has been charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence, carrying a concealed weapon, and he was served a failure to appear warrant. Amanda Whitehead has been charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence, and she was served a failure to appear warrant. Destiny Stamper has been charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence.
All three are being held on separate $100,000 cash bonds. Polly has an extra $200 cash bond for failure to appear.
The fourth (4th) suspect Derrick Polly is believed to have fled Harlan County after his brother Fess O’Neal Polly was arrested. Cumberland City Police Department is actively seeking his arrest for murder in the disappearance of Wilmer Perez.
Derrick Polly may be armed and dangerous. The public should not attempt to apprehend but only contact law enforcement if they know the whereabouts of Derrick Polly. Any effort to help, conceal or aide Derrick Polly to evade arrest will be investigated.
Officer Tyler Hensley stated in a press release that after approximately two weeks of investigation The Kentucky State Police was contacted by Cumberland City Police Department after Sergeant T. Hensley obtained statements from witnesses who stated that an individual confessed to killing Wilmer Perez to them. The Kentucky State Police offered assistance to the investigation.
Sergeant T. Hensley continues to investigate the Murder of Wilmer Perez. Although there was an extraordinary effort to locate Wilmer Perez, his remains have yet to be located. Sergeant Tyler Hensley, Cumberland City Police Department and the family urges any citizen who may have knowledge surrounding the Murder of Wilmer Perez or the whereabouts of his remains to come forward or contact police.
The Cumberland Police Department is actively investigating and will continue to investigate the location of the remains of Wilmer Perez and any information obtained from the public is greatly appreciated.
Contact number for Cumberland Police Department - Harlan Headquarters
(606) 589-2105 or (606) 573-1121
Individuals may leave information or ask to be contacted by an officer of Cumberland Police Department.