Ronnie Laxton may face the death penalty for his alleged involvement in the brutal murder of a Pine Knot woman last September.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Allen Trimble filed a motion of intent in McCreary Circuit Court Tuesday informing the court of his intention to seek the death penalty against Laxton.
Kentucky law states that the death penalty cannot be sought in a murder case unless aggravating circumstances, such as robbery, arson, rape or burglary, exists.
“The applicable aggravating circumstance permitting the imposition of capital punishment against the defendant is that the defendant committed the offense of murder of Patricia Stephens while the defendant was engaged in the commission of the robbery first degree of Patricia Stephens,” the notice of intent read.
Trimble said he could not comment on the particular aspects of this case, but did state: “as a general rule, it would be a waste of time for any prosecutor to file a motion of intent if they didn’t have the evidence for a conviction.”
Patricia A. Stephens was found brutally murdered in her Miriam Ross Road on September 5, 2009.
Investigators claimed the cause of her death was apparently from blunt force trauma, with the murderer using an iron skillet as a weapon. The attack was so savage; the skillet broke in the course of the murder.
Robbery appeared to be the motive behind the crime as money and other items appeared to have been stolen at the time of the murder.
Laxton was arrested two days later after an investigation and was charged with Murder and Robbery First Degree in relation to the crime.
Ronnie D. Laxton has a history of trouble with the law. Several burglary charges, as well as drug and alcohol related charges litter his record.
He was also convicted of Reckless Homicide in November of 1996. According to court records, Laxton entered a guilty plea to the charge after an August 1996 incident where he had been drinking with Morton Duval Jr. and recklessly discharged a handgun, killing Duval.
No trial date has been set in the case, but a pre-trial hearing will be held on April 27.