First timer here, I ran across an old post concerning Randy Lee Sellers who went missing in 1980. After reading the ramblings of the local members I had to join and write down what I know/presume to be the truth.
I grew up in Morning View Kentucky and was friends with Randy's brother, Tyran, who committed suicide in 1991. I believe that one of the contributing factors in his suicide was the disappearance of his older brother, whom Tyran looked up to. I remember Randy, who was five years older than myself, as one of the local tough guys and back then I was a little kid and scared to death of him. Not to tarnish his memory but Randy was in and out of trouble most of his teen years and the local cops were quite familiar with him.
This is what is known as common knowledge in and around our small town: Randy had been arrested numerous times...for the police to say they were given wrong directions or misled as to where he lived makes no sense. If a policeman is escorting a minor home and having another policeman follow him, isn't that a little suspicious? Why does it take two police cars to take home a 17 year old? If a policeman is taking home a minor, isn't it part of his duty to deliver him to his parents instead of drop him off in the middle of nowhere? One of the policemen stated he "dropped him off about a mile away as a favor"? Bull****, period.
Morning View is a quiet little country town along the Licking River, everyone knows everyone. The local police were known not to put up with troublemakers and for one of the policemen to admit Randy struck him in the back of the head, then it is obvious what was to come next. If anyone seriously thinks this happened and there was no recourse, then they have never dealt with policemen, period. Hell, hit me in the head and I will hit you back.
Randy was being taken for one of the infamous "rides" so many cops were known for back in the 70's and 80's. His "tracks" were not found on or around the house, they were conveniently found on the river bank about 1/2 mile from his house, completely in the wrong direction. Of course, they were found by a policeman, not one of the hundreds of searchers. Afterwards, a statement was put out that they could not verify whose tracks they were, they could have been animal tracks.
I have been looking into this case for years because I knew the family and a terrible wrong has never made right. What turned out to be one murder eventually lead to a mother losing both of her sons. I had asked the family's permission to write a book about this but due to the Cotton's understandable grief, they declined to participate and I honestly did not feel morally ok to proceed. This has weighed heavily upon my conscience and I am still somewhat reticent to do it, but as time passes, I feel more and more inclined to do so.
If anyone has anything to add, I would love to hear what their opinion is. For people to think Donald Leroy Evans killed Randy,well, they should have their heads checked. He was known for killing women, Randy was a tough kid and I cannot imagine anyone getting the drop on him. Morning View is so far off the beaten path, people whom have been there have a hard time finding it. No way Evans was just out driving through Morning View. He was looking for publicity and deep down he knew he was safer outside of jail instead of in it. In the end, he was right about that.
