A Pike County woman facing a murder charge was one of hundreds of people to have their sentences commuted recently by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and the action has caused some confusion.

That woman, Kimberly Owens, 31, remains lodged in the Pike County Detention Center.

Owens is facing a murder charge in relation to the death of 20-year-old “Lamont” Jordan Wright, with whom Owens allegedly collided with her vehicle in 2018 while Wright was on a motorcycle. Wright died as a result of the crash. Owens is believed by authorities to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

Owens’ name appeared on a list of inmates whose sentences would be commuted by Beshear. Pike Commonwealth’s Attorney Bill Slone says, however, that there is some confusion due to Owens’ prior criminal history.

According to court documents, Owens was convicted out of Fayette County in a benefits fraud case filed in 2017 and was being held in Pike County in her sentence from that case, which was handed down in October 2019. She was also being held on the murder charge in relation to Wright’s 2018 death. Slone says the commutation granted to Owens by the governor was for that Fayette County case.

Slone says Owens is still facing the murder charge in relation to Wright’s death and she remains lodged in the Pike County Detention Center.

“Kimberly Owens appeared on that list of having her sentence commuted, but that sentence was not related to the fatality and the murder charge that she currently has lodged against her,” he said. “The sentence that was commuted was another case, not at all associated with the murder charge.”

The commutations by Beshear are part of an effort to help slow the spread of novel coronavirus COVID-19 in correctional facilities. More than 600 commutations were granted by the governor. Beshear has said those who had their sentences commuted were convicted of non-violent crimes, were not convicted of sex-related crimes, are within six months of their scheduled release and may have underlying health issues.

In a recent press briefing, Beshear indicated he did not think any of the inmates granted commutations had been releases as of yet.

Owens, Slone says, will stand trial in Wright’s death.

“I would anticipate, when we get back to business as normal, that case will be set for trial and she’ll be tried sometime this year if a resolution is not achieved in that case,” he said. “(Owens) is still being held in the Pike County Detention Center.”

Owens is also facing charges in a separate indictment in relation to her allegedly having her children in the vehicle with her when she allegedly caused the crash that killed Wright. In that case, she is facing three charges of first-degree wanton endangerment.

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