In the early morning hours of March 12, 2025, a dispute at the Bluegrass Inn on Winchester Avenue in Ashland, Kentucky, ended in the death of 30-year-old Barry Justin Burton. Burton, an Ashland resident, was found in the motel parking lot with a gunshot wound and was flown to a nearby hospital, where he died a little after 6:15 a.m.

Police say the altercation involved another Ashland man, 30-year-old Christopher Hammond. Following an investigation, Hammond was arrested and charged with murder in connection with Burton’s death and is being held at the Boyd County Detention Center. Authorities described the incident as isolated and said they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the community.

If anyone witnessed the confrontation at the Bluegrass Inn or has information that could help the investigation, please come forward to the Ashland Police Department.