UPDATE: Missing Rowan County woman’s boyfriend charged with murder

UPDATE, POSTED 11:00 A.M. SATURDAY, DEC. 12

MOREHEAD, Ky. (WTVQ) – Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Gary Jeffries with murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence late Friday night.

Photo Courtesy: Katherine Holbrook
Picture of Gary Jeffries

Detective Donnie Hall also confirmed the autopsy Saturday morning showed Jill Clayton died from a single gunshot wound.

There is still a full report expected from the State Medical Examiner.

Jeffries is still in Louisville Metro Corrections Center. He was first booked Nov. 30 facing ‘convicted felon with a handgun’ charge.

At the time of this article, Det. Hall says it’s not clear if the handgun found with Jeffries is the gun used in Clayton’s murder.

UPDATE, POSTED 8:00 P.M. FRIDAY, DEC. 11

MOREHEAD, Ky. (WTVQ) – A volunteer helping look for a missing Rowan County woman made a grim discovery Friday afternoon.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office says the volunteer found the body of Jill Clayton, who disappeared Thanksgiving Day.

Deputies say her body was “somewhat hidden” in a wooded area where volunteers had been searching.

Investigators say her body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville to determine a cause and manner of death.

Deputies say Clayton’s boyfriend, Gary Jeffries, is still “a person of interest” in the case as the investigation continues.

Investigators say Jeffries has a criminal history and is currently in jail in Louisville in an unrelated case.

UPDATE, POSTED 9:05 A.M. FRIDAY, DEC. 11

ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – Dozens of volunteers have gathered Friday morning outside the Rowan County Courthouse to fan out in search of Jill Clayton, who has been missing since Thanksgiving morning.

Her family says she didn’t show up to Thanksgiving dinner and when they went to check on her a few days later her car, purse and phone were all still there. Another detail that struck Clayton’s sister, it looked like there was food being prepared as if she intended to go to Thanksgiving dinner.

According to her sister, Katherine Holbrook, Clayton’s car, phone and purse were at her home.

Holbrook says she doesn’t want to expect the worst but is trying to come to terms with reality.

“It’s such craziness everyday we wake up our mind goes what could we do today. From the time I wake up from the time I go to bed constant what are we gonna do who are we going to talk to. So as far as what is actually happening setting in we haven’t even had a chance for my mind to catch up with it,” Holbrook said.

“Obviously I have that hope but at this point it’s been so long I feel almost foolish to think that and it’s been two weeks so we would’ve heard something by now,” she added

The search will be spread out into several different areas across Morehead with small groups taking on those areas this morning.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s office told the family Clayton’s boyfriend is a person of interest.

The two were supposed to show up for Thanksgiving dinner but only he did, saying Jill was sick, the family. They checked a day or so later and didn’t find her.

UPDATE, POSTED 11:30 A.M. THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020

ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – Thursday marks two weeks since a Rowan County woman was last seen and friends and families are organizing search parties in hopes of finding her.

Anyone who can join the effort is asked to meet at 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 11 at the Rowan County Courthouse.

“We have several locations to search and will be sending groups to each. We need volunteers,” organizers said in a social media post.

A GoFundMe account also has been established to help the family.

Small groups of people will go to each area.

“It would be great if some of the residents in the area would be willing to allow the

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searchers to park in the driveways or on their farms. If you own property on any of these roads (or in between) and wouldn’t mind lending us a few parking spaces, please let us know, or if you have any suggestions for spots on these roads to use as jumping off points. Thank you all so much,” the organizers said.

The roads include:

CCC Trail

Rosedale Road

Mocobee Creek

Porter Creek

Open Fork

Weaver Ridge

Cold Springs Hollow

504 (toward soldier)

Mushroom Mines

Stark Ridge

Trent Ridgee

Laurel Creek

Williams Branch

Clack Mtn East

Jones Ridge

Weaver Ridge

Craney Creek

Upper Craney

ORIGINAL STORY POSTED DEC. 1, 2020

ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – Family and friends of the missing woman, Jill Clayton will gather on Friday morning to search the area where she was last seen.

According to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department, Clayton was last seen on Thanksgiving Day, in the area of CCC Trail/Rosedale/Weaver Ridge/Laurel Creek in Rowan County.

The family is asking for volunteers to meet at the Rowan County Courthouse at 9 a.m.to help search the area.

The department said she may be traveling in a silver 2010 Mazda or a red or burgundy Ford F150 pickup truck with a black hood.

Anyone with information should contact the department at 606-784-5446.

The missing woman could be in this car or the red truck.