Two inseparable teenage friends from Kentucky will be laid to rest side by side following a tragic incident that culminated in an apparent murder-suicide. The heartbreaking event unfolded after one friend attempted to end her relationship.
Jedance Hale, 18, and Lila Asher, 19, were discovered lifeless in a vehicle along with 21-year-old James Priddy. The tragic discovery followed a police pursuit in Laurel County on Saturday night.
Authorities report that Priddy ended his own life after allegedly kidnapping his girlfriend, Asher, and her friend, Hale, forcing them into his red Chevrolet Cobalt, as detailed by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident came to light when worried parents contacted law enforcement after the group departed from a Barbourville residence in Knox County, claiming they were going out to grab a meal.
Earlier that day, Asher had joined Hale to offer support as Hale planned to break up with Priddy, according to local news station WKYT.
Concerned for her daughter’s safety, Hale’s mother dialed 911 after realizing the perilous situation her daughter was in.
‘She tells me that they got proof that this female has been trying to leave him all day. Trying to get her,’ according to audio obtained by the news outlet. ‘This male has took off with her [sic].’
When police caught up to Priddy’s car, a 30-minute pursuit ensued on Highway 312.
James Priddy, 21 (right), is believed to have killed his girlfriend, Jedance Hale, 18 (left), and her friend after she attempted to break up with him in Kentucky on Saturday
Lila Asher, 19, above, accompanied Hale for support with the breakup and was also found dead
Hale, above, and Asher shared a ‘deep bond’ and will be buried ‘side by side,’ their families said
It ended when police boxed him in, forcing him to strike another vehicle and stop.
Deputies on scene found Priddy, Hale and Asher dead from gunshot wounds to the head inside the car.
‘All indications are that apparently James Priddy shot and killed Hale and Asher, then killed himself,’ the sheriff’s office said.
Hale and Asher were described by their families as two vibrant young women who had a close friendship.
‘Lila and Jedance shared a deep bond, always wanting to be together, and their loved ones are determined to honor that wish by holding their funerals side by side,’ Hale’s relatives said in a GoFundMe.
‘Their sudden loss has left their families and friends in shock, struggling to find the words and strength to move forward.’
Priddy’s family said that the 21-year-old was a loving son, brother, uncle and ‘a good kid.’
‘He brought so much joy to our lives and to those around him. He was the kind of person who would go out of his way to help others, and his smile could light up a room, according to a separate GoFundMe set up by user Sandy Rice.
Priddy led police on a highway chase for 30 minutes before he was brought to a stop
Hale’s mother called 911 after becoming concerned when the trio left a residence in Barbourville, Knox County, to ‘go get something to eat’
Hale and Asher (above) were described by their families as two vibrant young women
The deaths shocked the local community, as well as first responders at the scene
‘Our family is struggling to cope with this loss, and we want to honor his memory in the best way we can.’
Knox County residents, as well as first responders, were left in shock.
‘They’re really torn up as well to hear about the passing, about the girls. They’re just in shock as much as their families and their friends and everybody,” Mackenzie Watts, a friend of Hale and Asher, said to LEX18.
‘I can’t imagine the grief they’re feeling from something like this. It’s just unimaginable,’ Laurel County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Deputy Gilbert Acciardo said, according to the local news outlet.
‘But then we had the first responders too that saw what they saw during their investigation. And it was a tough one for us.’
The joint investigation by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Barbourville City Police Department is ongoing.
