Robbery investigation leads to murder charges in Perry Co.

HAZARD, Ky. (WTVQ) – State police say an armed robbery investigation led to the arrest of two Perry Co. men for the 2013 murders of a mother and daughter.

According to officers, they were attempting to locate Ronnie Everage, the suspect in a robbery of a business in Hazard, but while they were gathering information, obtained information linking Everage to a 2013 house fire and murder in Scuddy. 

Officials were able to locate and arrest the 30-year-old Everage, and additional information also led them to arrest 32-year-old Matthew Minks.  Minks was charged with 2 counts of murder, and Everage received 2 counts of complicity to commit murder.

Both were taken to the Kentucky River Regional Jail.

On January 13, 2013 the bodies of Sandra K. Melton and her daughter, Suzy Melton, were discovered in the debris of a house fire in Scuddy.  Both deaths were later ruled as homicides.