Daughter, son-in-law plead in 2017 murder of Corbin woman
Mar. 29—Nearly five years after her murder, the couple charged with the death of Sherry Rose have settled their court cases.
Christie Elizabeth McFadden, 32, and Joseph Craig McFadden, 36, both of Thoroughbred Trail in Corbin, will now spend 27 years in prison for the death of Christie's mother on June 15, 2018.
Christie McFadden entered a guilty plea in Laurel Circuit Court to murder, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse in February and was sentenced on March 21. She was ordered to serve 27 years on the murder charge, 5 years on the tampering charge and 5 years for abuse of a corpse. Those sentences will run concurrently, or at the same time, giving her a total of 27 years.
However, court documents note that Christie McFadden's parole eligibility is 85%, which requires her to serve 20 years before she is eligible for parole.
Joseph McFadden also entered a guilty plea to murder, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and fleeing or evading police on Feb. 15 but withdrew his plea during the hearing. He was reset for another court appearance and entered a guilty plea to the four charges on Mar. 21.
He was recommended to serve 27 years on the murder charge, 5 years each on the tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and fleeing and evading police charges. Those sentences will run concurrently, giving him a total of 27 years. Joseph McFadden also has an 85% parole eligibility and will have to serve 20 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole.
The failure of Sherry Rose to show up for work prompted her co-workers to request a welfare check, as Rose seldom missed work and never failed to call if she could not work. That sent Laurel Sheriff's officials to her residence, where they spoke with neighbors. Neighbors said they had not seen Rose in several days but had seen her daughter and son-in-law driving her vehicle. The couple had been seen unloading cleaning supplies from Rose's vehicle. Investigating officers found blood outside the residence.
Several days later, deputies and detectives with the Laurel County Sheriff's Office caught up with the McFaddens who were staying at a different residence. Joseph McFadden eventually said the couple and Rose had become engaged in an argument and claimed that Rose pulled a knife on him. However, it was determined that Rose had been stabbed in the neck, which caused her death.
The McFaddens then loaded Rose's body into the trunk of her vehicle and drove to a place called "The Farm," where they engaged two men to assist them in disposing of Rose's body. The accomplices then moved Rose's body from her car to a truck. The body was then taken to an isolated area just over the Clay County line. Rose's car was found abandoned in another area.
After several days on the run, the McFaddens were taken into custody, but not without some resistance. Christie McFadden did not cooperate with law enforcement in locating her husband and was initially charged with hindering prosecution or apprehension.
Joseph McFadden ran from police and was eventually located hiding under a porch of another residence along American Greeting Road. Additional charges were placed against him, including fleeing and evading police, resisting arrest and other charges.
The couple has been held in the Laurel County Correctional Center since their arrests, under $250,000 cash bond.
Joseph McFadden is scheduled for formal sentencing in April.
Had the two been found guilty of all charges and received the maximum sentences, they could have faced over 60 years in prison. Murder carries a penalty of 20 to 50 years, or life; tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and fleeing or evading police all have a penalty range of 1 to 5 years.
