Lexington woman pleads not guilty in double murder near public library

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — A 69-year-old woman charged with murdering two men outside a Lexington library has pleaded not guilty.

Deborah Weiss appeared in court Monday via video conference from the Fayette County Detention Center. She is charged with two counts of murder in connection with a shooting that happened early Saturday morning, August 2, outside the Northside branch of the Lexington Public Library on Russell Cave Road.

Weiss was arrested at the scene and is being held on a $1 million bond. During Monday’s arraignment, a judge said she will be appointed a public defender. Her next court date is scheduled for Monday, August 11, at 8:30 a.m.

According to the Fayette County Coroner’s Office, the victims have been identified as 52-year-old Edward Parker and 71-year-old Ashim Heanacho, both of Lexington. Police say officers were called to the 1700 block of Russell Cave Road around 3:20 a.m. Saturday for a reported shooting. When they arrived, they found both men with gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

The case remains under investigation.