Police: Lily man admitted to killing grandmother; motive still uncertain

Detectives say that 32-year-old Jeremy Owens has confessed to three different officers that he killed his grandmother, Bernice Champlin, 74, but they are still trying to determine a motive.

At Owens’ preliminary hearing Tuesday in Laurel District Court, Laurel County Sheriff’s Detective Billy Madden testified that in the course of Sheriff John Root’s efforts to talk Owens out of the home in which he had barricaded himself on July 27, Owens admitted that he had killed Champlin.

Prior to the incident in which detectives say Owens shot Champlin with a .38-caliber revolver, stabbed her multiple times with a knife and beat her, Madden stated that Champlin and Owens had been in an argument. Jeremy’s brother, Joshua, told deputes the two were arguing.

"Jeremy and his grandmother had had arguments in the past about Joshua, but we don’t know what this argument was about," Madden said.

A post made by Joshua Owens on his Facebook page on July 25 stated, "Mamaw needs to die."

Madden said Jeremy Owens called Joshua soon after the incident, telling him that he had done it.

Madden added that Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Greg Poynter, who transported Owens to the jail after he was taken into custody, reported that Owens told him that he had been pushed over the edge and couldn’t take it any more.

In an interview at the sheriff’s office following his arrest, Madden said Owens again admitted that he killed Champlin

Following Madden’s testimony, Judge John Paul Chappell found probable cause to present the case to a Laurel County Grand Jury.

The grand jury is scheduled to meet on Aug. 15 and return indictments on Aug. 29.

Citing the nature of the charge, Chappell declined to amend Owens’ bond, which is $250,000 cash.

Members of Jeremy Owens’s family, including his brother, Joshua, were in the front row of the courtroom during the hearing. As the family left the courtroom, they declined to make any statements to the media.

Jeremy Owens was arrested following a short standoff at Champlin’s home on Queen Road in Lily.

Deputies were called to the scene about 4:45 p.m. in response to a 911 complaint of a possible fight. A second 911 call reported a possible shooting.

When deputies arrived, they spoke with Joshua Owens who told them Jeremy had shot Champlin and that he was still inside the house and armed with a pistol.

After several minutes on the phone, Root was able to convince Jeremy Owens to surrender.

Deputies found Champlin’s body in the hallway. When questioned about the incident, Madden said Jeremy Owens said he had been in a fight and struggled with Champlin before blacking out. When he woke up, he was draped over her body with the gun in his hand.

Autopsy reports indicated Champlin had died from a gunshot wound to the head.