A Cold Case Led Police to a Serial Killer | Kentucky Cases

A fire meant to destroy the evidence. A mother and grandmother stabbed more than 40 times while taking her evening walk. Two Kentucky cases separated by eight years—one finally solved after nearly three decades, and one that still haunts investigators today. In today’s episode of Southern Girl Crime Stories, we cover 1 solved and 1 unsolved true crime case from Kentucky. From Linda Marie Rutledge, whose killer was finally identified 27 years after her murder through ballistic evidence and DNA, to Mary Lucinda Strange, whose brutal 1990 murder remains one of Bardstown’s oldest unsolved mysteries… these are two cases that continue to leave a lasting impact. 🔎 Featured Cases: 🕵 Linda Marie Rutledge — Lexington, Kentucky On the morning of November 7, 1998, firefighters responded to a blaze at the Nixon Hearing Aid Center in Lexington and discovered the body of 43-year-old Linda Marie Rutledge inside. Although the fire appeared to be the cause of death, investigators quickly determined it had been intentionally set to cover up a horrific murder. Linda had been sexually assaulted and shot multiple times in the head before her killer stole her vehicle and fled the scene. For nearly 27 years, the case remained unsolved until investigators connected a .380 shell casing recovered at the scene to the infamous 1991 Austin Yogurt Shop Murders. DNA testing later identified the killer as Robert Eugene Brashers, a deceased serial killer linked to murders across several states. On January 7, 2026, the Lexington Police Department officially announced the case had been solved and named Brashers as Linda’s killer. 🕵 Lucinda Strange — Bardstown, Kentucky On the evening of March 25, 1990, 39-year-old Lucinda Strange left her Nelson County home for her routine walk along Clarktown Road and never returned. Initially believed to be the victim of a hit-and-run, an autopsy revealed she had actually been stabbed more than 40 times. Investigators ruled out her husband early in the inve