ResCare employee killed in grisly group home murder

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WHAS11) -- Harry Braxton had just settled in for the night Tuesday evening when he noticed the blue flicker of police lights pouring through the front window of his home.

It was a sight the retired Hardin County deputy once knew all too well. Deputies unrolling crime scene tape, interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence.

But standing in front of his Bryan Street home Wednesday morning, Braxton appeared saddened and deeply troubled as he recalled the previous night’s disturbing events.

“Nothing like that has ever happened on this street before,” Braxton said, as he looked at the used crime scene tape piled in a driveway across the street.

The home, which is owned by ResCare, houses men with special needs. Hardin Co. Sheriff John Ward said a ResCare employee called 911 just before 11 p.m. Tuesday to report the co-worker that she was relieving had been attacked.

Deputies found Sally Berry’s lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. She had been brutally stabbed multiple times, Ward said. The 66-year-old Radcliff woman was a ResCare employee who worked as a caretaker at the home.

"In this situation, you know, we have a 66-year-old woman who was out doing her job and I’m sure she didn’t go to work yesterday thinking about even the slight possibility of being harmed much less murdered,” said Ward. “It’s a sad situation.”

According to an arrest citation, Lindale Cunningham, a 32-year-old resident of the group home, confessed to crime. He was one of three men being cared for at the home.

Cunningham was taken into custody at the scene and later charged with murder. He was booked into the Hardin County Jail early Wednesday morning.

“It’s a shame something like that happened to her,” said Braxton, who knew Berry and some of the challenges she faced.

He said Berry once expressed concerns about being “roughed up” by one of the residents, but continued her work despite her fears. He said he hopes there will be changes to ensure others don't suffer the same grisly fate.

“I just hope somehow they straighten it out and somebody looks at how these operations are run and have somebody devise some better safety protections for the workers here because they don’t get paid enough for this,” said Cunningham. “It’s something somebody’s gonna have to think about for a long time.”

ResCare issued a statement Wednesday in response to the incident.

“ResCare is deeply saddened by this very tragic loss of one of our own employees with years of dedicated service as a caregiver and we extend our sympathy to the family for the loss of their loved one. Our number one priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of each and every one of our clients and staff members at all times,” the company said in the statement, adding that ResCare was fully cooperating with authorities as they continue the investigation.

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ResCare employee killed in grisly group home murder