Slain Bardstown police officer was standout baseball start at University of the Cumberlands

Jason Ellis

When University of the Cumberlands Baseball Coach Bradley Shelton took the job in 2002, he said he had the good fortune to inherit a senior catcher, who led by example, on and off the field.

Shelton, said he was certain, that catcher, Jason Ellis, was destined to play professional baseball.

“Jason is the best catcher I ever coached, said Shelton, who is in his 11^th season with the Patriots. “He loved to talk about baseball. He made the transition as a new coach easier and was just really fun to coach.”

Shelton said Ellis was really down to Earth, despite his position as one of the stars of the team. He was routinely seen hanging out with the freshmen on the team and doing all of the little things that made him a team leader.

“There was not an arrogant bone in his body,” Shelton said of Ellis.

With Ellis’ penchant for helping people, Shelton said a career in law enforcement was easy to see.

However, with a career batting average of .389, including a season high of .447 and showing solid skills as a catcher, it was easy to see why the Cincinnati Reds offered him a contract.

Ellis played for three years within the Reds organization at Sarasota, Fla. and Billings, Mont. before injuries ended his professional aspirations.

Ellis rechanneled his penchant for helping people to law enforcement, joining the Bardstown City Police Department in 2005.

Ellis went on to become one of the department’s K-9 officers. He was awarded the Governor’s Award for Impaired Driving Enforcement in 2007 and 2008 and received the Officer of the Year Award in 2008.

Ellis’ wife of six years, Amy, who also graduated from The University of the Cumberlands, made her first public statements since Ellis was gunned down in an ambush and killed Saturday on his way home from work.

“The pain will never go away,” Amy Ellis said of the incident.

Kentucky State Police from Post Four in Elizabethtown are investigating the incident, which occurred at 3:16 a.m. at exit 34 off of the Bluegrass Parkway in Nelson County.

Investigators say Ellis had stopped to remove some debris on the roadway when he was shot multiple times. He reportedly did not have the opportunity to remove his gun from his holster.

Police said it appears the debris was placed in the roadway so the driver would have to stop to remove it. However, it is unknown whether Ellis was the target of the assailant.

“Currently we have no suspects and this is why we are asking for the public to help,” said Master Trooper Norman Chaffins.

Anyone with information is asked to contact KSP Post Four, (270) 766-5078 or text a tip to 67283. Information may be provided anonymously.

Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Ellis’ killer.