From The Bell County Sheriff's Department -
At approximately 10:40pm Thursday, April 30, 2020 Bell County Dispatch received a call from Middlesboro Fire/EMS in regard to a severely injured male found in a residence in the Beans Fork community after they had responded to a medical call.
Responding to the residence on Hughett Lane was Sheriff Mitch Williams, Chief Deputy Doug Jordan, Sgt. Jared Smith, Deputy Patrick Brooks, and Deputy Nathaniel Price. Kentucky State Police Troopers Taylor Mills and Josh Messer assisted in securing the perimeter as Bell County units investigated the scene.
The focus of the investigation was the assault of 56 year old Ward Hughett found unresponsive and suffering from serious trauma, but alive in the home. Hughett was taken to Middlesboro ARH via ambulance for possible treatment of his injuries.
Through the investigation it was determined that Ward’s younger brother, 41 year old Wade Hughett, was the main suspect as the individual that assaulted him. As the search for Wade Hughett was in progress, Ward Hughett’s condition continued to deteriorate and he was declared deceased at Middlesboro ARH Emergency room at approximately 5:30 am Friday morning May 1, 2020.
Local authorities were alerted to be on the lookout for Wade Hughett and a warrant for his arrest was upgraded. Wade Hughett turned himself in at the Bell County Sheriff’s Department and was taken into custody at 5:59pm Friday evening by Chief Deputy Doug Jordan. After an interview with Deputy Brooks, Wade Hughett was lodged in the Bell County Detention Center charged with murder. He is being held on a $250,000 cash bond.
Deputy Patrick Brooks is in charge of the investigation.