Found Deceased KY - James 'Mike' Kimsey, 48, Louisville, 29 May 2015

[bflocket]

Very strange that this is the first we are hearing about it. It looks like he disappeared on May 26 and media coverage didn't start until around June 19. When did his family report him missing?

He is not listed in NamUS. The family should get him listed.

Might want to adjust the heading. His name is James Michael Kimsey. It sounds like he goes by the name Mike.

You're right about this being kind of a strange case...

I'll admit I have a strange interest in dead bodies and missing people (as people on this forum generally do) and that stories/articles about either draw my interest. So this case was kind of surprising.

I'm basically local, in that all of the area TV-stations are in Louisville. Sometime within the past few months or so, I saw that his remains were found via the "other stories you might like" link on another article.

I never once remember seeing a story about him being missing or any searches being done or the like while he was missing. I saw nothing about him from up until his remains were found/ID'd.
Was his disappearance some major news event that I missed? Or did only certain stations report upon it?

The Courier-Journal only lets you look at so many articles in a time period if you're not a subscriber.
Why didn't any of the TV-stations make anything of it? Otherwise I'd have known about him as a "missing person."

 

[pinklilies]

Many people state there weren't many news stories about Mikes disappearance or that his wife hasn't been very vocal about it. I wonder if this was actually done out of respect for Mike, keeping his disappearance low key.
He was a very professional, well respected man by all accounts, hoping to shortly return to his flying career. I've read on here that a pilot has to have a very clean bill of health, mentally, physically and emotionally. Perhaps it was felt that this was going to be a temporary disappearance and Mike would return. They may have felt he wouldn't appreciate the fact his disappearance would be all over the news, once he had returned. He had a highly regarded reputation and professional job to return to. Maybe his wife requested his disappearance was kept low key for his own benefit for when he did return.
I hope that makes sense but I have a friend who lived with a pilot and he and his mother, were always keen to make sure all aspects of his life were kept very professional at all times.
It's just my opinion, but I don't feel anyone physically harmed this man or that there has been any sort of conspiracy behind his disappearance. Unless LE reveal something nefarious at a later date of course.
It is certainly tragic though for all who knew him.
I hope he rests peacefully and his wife and family find peace.

 

[Rocky Road]

Sorry, not Mike's remains, the official Coroner's Office autopsy results, including toxicology results that the police mentioned were pending the day they publicly announced that his body had been found. The Coroner's Office would have to advise anyone as to the status of Mike's remains, e.g. if they were released yet or not.

No one will tell Mike's family where his remains are located or any information of exam of the remains. Police will not tell Mike's parents anything. All is beyond believable!

 

[cutter99]

I find this so incredibly unbelievable, especially since his wife has not made one public statement concerning his disappearance and his family were the ones pushing for finding him.

 

[fred&edna]

No one will tell Mike's family where his remains are located or any information of exam of the remains. Police will not tell Mike's parents anything. All is beyond believable!

Huh?!

Something has been SO VERY WRONG with this case from the beginning. Delay in reporting his disappearance. Delay in the investigation of his disappearance. Poor investigation into his disappearance. No plea/s from spouse to locate Mike. Yet, some (fairly recent) bizarre FB rant from a wacko ex-local LE pal of the spouse. And, finally... the members of his family who begged for help in finding him continues to suffer because the coroner/LE will tell them nothing. What a sham, and a horrible shame. I'm so very sorry for the family and friends who truly loved him.

ETA: It wouldn't surprise me if the next thing we hear (if we hear anything at all) is that the remains were cremated soon after the autopsy report was signed.

 

[FLIBBERTYJIBBIT]

Just some thoughts...

Anyone know how to locate the official tox and autopsy reports? Is there an ongoing investigation? Are we going to just forget this all happened, and assume Mike had a heart attack and crawled into a deep thicket to die alone and not be found for months? Here we have a successful upstanding man, by most reports, who was athletic and though had some orthopedic surgeries, was in good shape and took care of himself, and died before age 50. He had a young son, who he loved more than anyone it seems. He was last publicly seen enjoying himself with his son. He was getting ready to return to flying at UPS soon. His marriage apparently was not doing well, and there was apparently some argument with his wife late one evening or early morning, and then he was gone before 6 am. No reported sounds, no apparent break-in or violence, and he vanished with his phone, leaving his keys, car, and, apparently, his shoes behind. (I don't remember about his wallet). Found in a dense thicket almost a year later less than a mile from house, yards away from neighborhood houses, just off a trail, in a nice upper middle class suburban development. Was he there the whole time? No one, not even police (recruits) and their dogs noticed? No decomposition odors despite the warm humid Middletown summer? Were his shoes on the remains? His phone? Any fractures? Trauma signs? Drugs? Poison? Any other evidence found surrounding the body? If one thinks suicide (which I do not) - are we to believe he went to this place to do the deed? Any gun, knife, or rope found? No tree big enough there that I can see to be suitable for hanging (plus he would have been seen in that case). Did he trip while jogging in no shoes and fall into here? Come on.
Need to find who killed him, and when and how he was placed in the thicket, and bring them to justice.

 

[Timekeeper65]

FLIBBERTYJIBBITT, all good questions. Seems there are more questions, than answers, in this case.

Welcome to Websleuths!

:welcome:

 

[grammy56]

I am trying to remember which came first the Kimsey's selling their pharmacy or Mr Kimsey's death. It all happened about the same time.

 

[holmesleuthing]

Can't believe how this case is being handled.

 

[4SAM]

Could he have been moved to the location after the search was completed?

 

[Rocky Road]

The Kimsey's sold pharmacy to family years before Mike went missing. The pharmacy sold in 2006, in Mike's hometown in Tennessee. Mike lived in Louisville, KY. Unrelated entirely.

 

[Laughing]

Could he have been moved to the location after the search was completed?

Seems likely, also seems likely that we'll never know. That means Mike's parents & son will never know, either.

Possibly LE has the answer and isn't ready to share....

 

[fred&edna]

No one will tell Mike's family where his remains are located or any information of exam of the remains. Police will not tell Mike's parents anything. All is beyond believable!

'Did Mike's parents finally learn of a burial location or... any information at all??

 

[ALansby]

...I hope Mike wasn’t laying there long hurting in need of medical attention. Can you imagine his thoughts if he were laying there for a period of time "They'll find me soon", but no one ever came for him? ...

Bolded, italicized and underlined the part of
the above post that I'm referencing - according to reports, when he left his home, he had his cell phone. Naturally that does not guarantee that it was found with his body- but in the absence of foul play, it's most likely that he had his cell with him, and in all but the most acute medical events would've been able to dial 9-1-1.

 

[ALansby]

A bit of online research today told me that for $85 one can request a death certificate online for KY decedents. I would be very interested in that death certificate in the manner and cause of death. I suspect both may be undetermined/unknown.
From the following link as a resource: https://justice.ky.gov/Documents/Medical Examiners/KentuckyMedicalExaminerBrochure.pdf
autopsy results usually take 6-8 weeks.
Are police investigation and coroner's reports accessible under the Freedom of Information act? I would assume that active investigations would not be allowed to be accessed. I don't know if this would be considered an active investigation or not. A lot of this hinges on manner/cause and what was or was not found with his remains.

 

[Melony]

I came across this website as I was doing research online. For a couple of weeks now I have been trying to find any article or obituary on Valerie, Mike's "widow". Her son found her unresponsive on or around April 2nd. A 45 year old woman with no heath issues......There has been no coverage or no obituary written about her. You would think since this was such a high profile case you would hear something. (I don't live there so there may have actually been something but it isn't online.)

All of your comments are quite interesting as law enforcement is the only group that thinks there was no foul play involved. Mike was an amazing guy. His family is amazing as well. To this day every minute and every breath they take is getting justice for Mike.

He wasn't after pain meds that night because he HATED taking medication, even Tylenol. Being a pilot you have to be completely alert.

I am just curious what will come out of the woodworks now that she is gone. Oh, and BTW, she ended up marrying one of the detectives on the case. Ironic? Or true love?

 

[Laughing]

@Melony, do you have a source?

Wait, the son who is about 12???

Oh, dear, how awful!

She's mentioned in her brother's obituary:

Gilbert Wayne Hensley - View Obituary & Service Information

Wonder how the loss of her brother affected her?

Hinky meter chiming.

A friend of the family's adult child was "found unresponsive." This person had a serious problem with alcohol & lost a career as a medical professional due to abuse of prescription medications.

Peace & comfort to the friends & family & especially the son, Laughing

 

[cutter99]

Wow! What a twist!

I can see her passing being kept quiet for a multitude of reasons. One of them being so the Kimsey family would not know, and try to seek custody of Mike’s son, who they were being denied access to last we were told.

ETA: I looked at the Facebook page that was set up by Mike’s family, and although they have not posted recently, one of the last posts talks about them trying to have contact with Brody, their grandson, and being unsuccessful. Very sad situation no matter how you look at it!

 

[fred&edna]

I came across this website as I was doing research online. For a couple of weeks now I have been trying to find any article or obituary on Valerie, Mike's "widow". Her son found her unresponsive on or around April 2nd. A 45 year old woman with no heath issues......There has been no coverage or no obituary written about her. You would think since this was such a high profile case you would hear something. (I don't live there so there may have actually been something but it isn't online.)

All of your comments are quite interesting as law enforcement is the only group that thinks there was no foul play involved. Mike was an amazing guy. His family is amazing as well. To this day every minute and every breath they take is getting justice for Mike.

He wasn't after pain meds that night because he HATED taking medication, even Tylenol. Being a pilot you have to be completely alert.

I am just curious what will come out of the woodworks now that she is gone. Oh, and BTW, she ended up marrying one of the detectives on the case. Ironic? Or true love?

I am now VERY curious about this marriage to the detective, as well as the report of her recent death. Per the obit of V's brother (mentioned above by @Laughing) she was living in Lily, KY - about 2.5 hr drive from the home she shared with Mike. Also, I would love to know Mike's son is safe, loved and well cared for. Thanks for posting, Melony. Any additional information with links from reliable sources would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Laughing]

Since both the boy's parents have passed -- Mike's parents have an interesting opportunity in court.

Can anyone find out if the step-father adopted the child???