KY Lexington police seeking public help with decades-old cold case (Linda Rutledge murder)

[Oakie]

Lexington police seeking public help with decades-old cold case

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - A cold case nearly 27 years old is being brought to light once again.

“I don’t want her family to think that we forgot, that, ‘okay, its been 27 years, we’re not gonna do anything with this,’ she doesn’t deserve that and her family doesn’t deserve that either, and that goes for any case we still have open,” said Detective Kristyn Klingshirn with Bluegrass Crime Stoppers.

Police said it was November of 1998 when fire crews were called to 121 Malabu Drive for a fire at Nixon Hearing Aid Center.

When they got there, they found the body of Linda Rutledge, but it wasn’t the fire that killed her.

Police said it was multiple gunshot wounds and that someone started the fire to cover up her murder.

Now, Bluegrass Crime Stoppers is trying to remind the public of this case in hopes someone with information will come forward..... (More at link)

 

[LR1]

Brashers linked to unsolved Ky. murder

 

[dotr]

Jan. 7, 2026

Lexington police solve 27-year-old homicide case through ballistic, DNA evidence

Lexington police have solved a 27-year-old homicide case, identifying the suspect in the November 1998 murder of Linda Marie Rutledge.

www.wkyt.com

''LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Lexington police have solved a 27-year-old homicide case, identifying the suspect in the November 1998 murder of Linda Marie Rutledge through ballistic and DNA evidence that connected the case to an unsolved crime in Austin, Texas.

The suspect was identified as Robert Eugene Brashers, who died in January 1999. If alive, he would face murder charges in Rutledge’s death, police said.''