Overview of Jason Ellis
Jason Ellis was a young father of two boys, a husband, and a police officer for Bardstown, Kentucky who joined the force in 2006.
In 2008, he was awarded Officer of the Year. Ellis typically worked the night shift with his K9 partner, Figo, who spent most of their time taking drugs off the street. Jason was the only K9 officer on the Bardstown PD.
"We were in love," she said. "We had a happy marriage. We had hopes and dreams and a future we had planned ... my kids had their dad. When that was taken from me, our whole world was turned upside down and shattered. I no longer had hopes and dreams. My kids will never have their dad."
Jason was a former baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds in the minor league and would continue sharing his love of baseball by coaching his son’s team just hours before he was killed. Jason was well respected in his community and his death rattled Bardstown.
The day Jason was killed.
During the early morning hours of May 25, 2013, Jason had completed an arrest of an unidentified individual whom he brought to the Bardstown jail. He signed off for the night and was heading home. When Jason approached the exit 34 exit ramp of the Bluegrass Parkway he noticed several branches on the road preventing him from driving. He moved his patrol car to prevent others from driving onto the ramp, exited his patrol car, and put his lights on. While moving the branches, Officer Jason Ellis would be shot multiple times by a 12 gauge gun. His K9 partner, Figo, was not with him during the shooting. It would later be revealed by police that the shooter was likely on a hill.
When he was discovered.
A few minutes later, two passersby stopped, a woman in a Toyota Corolla and Chad Monroe who was parked behind the unidentified woman. Monroe exited his vehicle and noticed Jason lying on the ground. Monroe informed the unidentified woman about what he saw, and she called for help from Jason’s patrol car. Jason would be pronounced dead on the scene. No suspect has ever been publically named.
Where the case stands today.
Jason’s case remains unsolved. However, many in Bardstown believe that Jason’s murder is connected to the three other unsolved cases: the double homicide of Kathy and Samantha Netherland on April 22, 2014, the disappearance of Crystal Rogers’ on July 3, 2015, and the murder of Crystal’s father, Tommy Ballard on November 19, 2016. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for any information relating to an arrest for Jason’s case. If you have any information please contact, 1-800-CALLFBI.
