'He's begging for his life just like they were': Man who stabbed mother and her daughter to death in their home pleads guilty

A antheral successful Kentucky is acceptable to walk the remainder of his beingness down bars for fatally stabbing a parent and daughter wrong their home.

Joshua Cottrell, 44, was sentenced to life successful prison without the anticipation of parole aft pleading blameworthy to 2 counts of murder successful the deaths of 37-year-old Kayla Danielle Blake and 13-year-old Kennedi Grace McWhorter. He besides pleaded blameworthy to tampering with carnal evidence, according to tribunal records obtained by Law&Crime.

On Sept. 19, 2025, a co-worker of Blake's went to her location connected South Spring Street successful Morehead, Kentucky, to cheque connected her due to the fact that Blake had not travel successful to work, the Rowan County Coroner's Office said astatine the time. Authorities were called to the scene, and archetypal responders arrived to find "two evident deceased individuals."

Blake and her girl Kennedi had been killed. Blake was stabbed successful the caput successful a chamber and Kennedi's pharynx was chopped crossed the hall, McClatchy News reported.

Blake besides died owed to blunt unit trauma, tribunal records state.

Investigators reportedly spoke with neighbors and learned that Cottrell was astatine the parent and daughter's location the erstwhile day. Law enforcement officers searched for him, but helium wasn't successful the Morehead area.

Instead, helium was successful a infirmary successful Paducah, Kentucky, much than 300 miles west. When authorities recovered him, helium allegedly had humor connected his clothes.

Investigators person not disclosed what they judge Cottrell's motive was for the murders. He was Blake's fellow and lived with her, according to Louisville Fox affiliate WDRB.

Cottrell had primitively pleaded not blameworthy to the charges against him earlier helium changed his plea this week. Friends and household members of the victims appeared successful tribunal arsenic his destiny was sealed.

"I consciousness similar he's begging for his beingness conscionable similar they were begging for their beingness arsenic helium was murdering them," Lona Kiser said, per determination CBS affiliate WKYT.

Blake — who besides had a lad — is remembered in her obituary arsenic having been a dedicated caregiver and a "devoted mother, pouring each ounce of her vigor into the emotion and attraction of her children."

Kennedi was "a agleam airy successful the lives of each who knew her," according to her obit. She was a mediate schoolhouse pupil who "excelled academically and was a passionate" softball player.