A pilot for an American Airlines subsidiary has been arrested in the 2015 shooting deaths of three people in Kentucky LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A pilot for an American Airlines subsidiary was arrested Saturday in the 2015 shooting deaths of three people in Kentucky, the state attorney general announced. Christian R. Martin was arrested Saturday at the Louisville airport, a day after he was indicted by a Christian County grand jury in the November 2015 deaths of Calvin and Pamela Phillips of Pembroke and their neighbor, Edward Dansereau, Attorney General Andy Beshear said in a news release. Martin moved from Christian County after the slayings and was living in North Carolina at the time of the indictment, the statement said. American Airlines said in a statement it is cooperating in the investigation. The airline said Martin has been a pilot for subsidiary PSA Airlines since January 2018. Martin's jail mugshot shows him wearing a pilot's uniform. A criminal background check conducted on Martin found no "criminal history that would disqualify him from being a commercial pilot," the airline said. It wasn't immediately known whether Martin has an attorney who could comment on the charges. Martin was being held without bond in the Christian County Detention Center on murder, arson and burglary charges along with tampering with physical evidence. Police said Calvin Phillips, 59, was found shot to death in the cellar of his home. The bodies of Pamela Phillips, 58, and Dansereau, 63, were found a few miles away in a cornfield inside her burned car. Authorities have not given a motive for the slayings or said what led them to believe Martin was responsible. Beshear said he met nearly two years ago with the couple's son, Matt Phillips, who was worried the case had stalled. Beshear accepted a request from the local commonwealth attorney to appoint a special prosecutor to handle the case. Relatives of Calvin and Pamela Phillips had offered a $100,000 reward to help solve the case. "I hope this is a day that brings some justice to these families," Beshear said. "There are many steps from here, but we hope this is one example of when you never stop seeking justice, when you never give up, that we can truly get important results for these families." The statement said relatives of the victims expressed an "overflowing of emotion, sincere relief, and absolute gratitude to all those who have worked diligently on this case."<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email An American Airlines pilot was arrested and charged with triple homicide Saturday morning at a Kentucky airport while passengers waited to board their flight. Christian Richard Martin, 51, was indicted for the 2015 murders of Calvin and Pamela Phillips and Edward Dansereau, according to a statement from Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear. On Nov. 18, 2015, Calvin Phillips was found shot dead in his home in Pembroke, Ky., and the bodies of his wife and neighbour were found a few miles away in a burned car owned by Pamela Phillips. “Every day, we are haunted by what was done to them and haunted further that someone was still free to do as they wish, beyond the civility of mankind or laws of our nation,” the victims’ family members said in a statement. “We look forward to justice in court and we look forward to a verdict to bring an end to this terror and a fresh start at healing.” Story continues below advertisement WATCH: American Airlines kicks off family from flight over body odour complaints 1:46 American Airlines kicks off family from flight over body odour complaints American Airlines kicks off family from flight over body odour complaints – Jan 25, 2019 Martin had moved away from Christian County, Ky., after the deaths and was living in North Carolina at the time of the indictment, according to Beshear. He has been charged with three counts of murder, one of arson, one of attempted arson, one of burglary in the first degree and three counts of tampering with physical evidence. “It was like something you would totally see in a movie,” Ashley Martin, a passenger waiting to board the flight when the arrest happened at the Louisville International Airport, told WDRB. Story continues below advertisement “It was very tense,” Frances Wise, Ashley’s mother, said. “I think it was very tense. You could tell the employees knew something was going on.” They assumed that the pilot had been intoxicated but learned the reason later. “It’s startling,” Ashley said. “It’s scary to think this happened so long ago, and they’re just now getting around to catching the guy.” American Airlines said in a statement that the accused was a pilot for regional subsidiary PSA Airlines and had passed a criminal background check that found “no criminal history that would disqualify him from being a commercial pilot.” WATCH: Passenger on American Airlines argues with staff over beer before starting fight 0:50 Passenger on American Airlines argues with staff over beer before starting fight Passenger on American Airlines argues with staff over beer before starting fight – May 27, 2018 “All of us at American Airlines and PSA Airlines are deeply saddened to have learned about these allegations from 2015,” the statement read. “We have an unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our customers and team members and we will provide any investigative assistance possible to law enforcement throughout their investigation.” Story continues below advertisement The pilot has been placed on administrative suspension pending the outcome of the investigation, the airline said.<doc-sep>A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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(Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East Authorities arrested Christian Richard Martin, 51, for killing Calvin and Pamela Phillips and Edward Dansereau in 2015, according to Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear. On or about November 18, 2015, Calvin Phillips was found shot to death in his home located in Pembroke, Kentucky and the bodies of Mr. Phillipsí wife, Pamela, and their neighbor, Edward Dansereau, were found a few miles away in a corn field in a burned up car owned by Mrs. Phillips, according to a statement from Beshearís office. Martin is indicted on three counts of murder; one count of arson; one count of attempted, burglary in the first degree; and three counts of tampering with physical evidence. (CNN) — A pilot for a subsidiary of American Airlines was arrested at Louisville International Airport after he was indicted in connection with the 2015 deaths of a Kentucky couple and their neighbor, authorities said. Christian Richard Martin, 51, is accused of killing Calvin and Pamela Phillips and Edward Dansereau in November 2015, Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear said. Calvin Phillips was found shot to death in his Pembroke home on or about November 18, 2015, Beshear said in a statement. The bodies of Pamela Phillips and Dansereau were found a few miles away in a cornfield in her burned car. A Christian County grand jury indicted Martin on Friday on three counts of murder (a capital felony); one count of arson; one count of attempted arson; two counts of burglary in the first degree and three counts of tampering with physical evidence, according to the grand jury document. The indictment was sealed until he was taken into custody Saturday, Beshear said. The attorney general, speaking to reporters Monday, said he believes he has a “very compelling case.” “I hope (the arrest) brings a little bit of justice and a little bit of relief to those families,” he said. Martin was arrested at the airport to ensure the safety of law enforcement officers and the public, Beshear said. He now lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, the attorney general added. Martin will be formally charged in court on May 22, Beshear said. Martin’s family is devastated, said Tucker Richardson, Martin’s former lawyer. He vouched for Martin’s character, saying he joined the military in response to the September 11 attacks. Martin would have turned himself in if he had known authorities intended to arrest him, Richardson said. The victims’ families welcomed the news, in a joint statement through the attorney general’s office. “Every day, we are haunted by what was done to them and haunted further that someone was still free to do as they wish, beyond the civility of mankind or laws of our nation,” the families said. “We look forward to justice in court, and we look forward to a verdict to bring an end to this terror, and a fresh start at healing.” Beshear said he accepted a request from the local commonwealth’s attorney two years ago to appoint a special prosecutor to the case after the family’s son had expressed concern that investigations had stalled. Victim may have been expected to testify against his accused killer John Kelly, a representative for the Phillips family, said Calvin Phillips was due to testify against Martin in a court case in 2015 when he and his wife were killed. Richardson countered that notion by claiming he hired an investigator to interview Calvin Phillips. The private investigator determined Calvin Phillips would be a star witness for Martin’s side, Richardson said. “If there is a poster child for ‘life is not fair,’ it would be a picture of Kit Martin,” Richardson said. “They took a fine man and drug him through the mud.” Martin was kicked out of the military after lengthy career Martin, who over a period of 30 years served in the Army Reserve, Army National Guard and on active duty, was punitively dismissed from the service in August 2016 following a court-martial. He was found guilty of two counts of mishandling classified information and of assault on a child under the age of 16, military records show. Martin was sentenced to be reprimanded, forfeit all pay, be confined for 90 days and to be dismissed from the service. The Leaf-Chronicle of Clarksville, Tennessee, reported Philips had been scheduled to testify in the court-martial when it was originally supposed to have been held in December 2015. The report said the Phillips lived across the street from the Martins. ’Like something in a movie’ At the Louisville airport where Martin was arrested, passengers expressed shock, according to CNN affiliate WDRB. Ashley Martin and her mother, Frances Wise, were waiting to board an American Airlines flight from Louisville to Charlotte when they heard their pilot had been arrested. “It was like something you would totally see in a movie,” Martin – no relation to the accused – said. “It was very tense,” her mother told WDRB. “You could tell the employees knew something was going on.” The women assumed their pilot had been intoxicated and learned of the reason for his arrest later in the day. “It’s startling,” said Martin.<doc-sep>
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Authorities arrested an American Airlines pilot Saturday morning in connection with the 2015 slayings of three people in Kentucky. Christian Richard Martin, 51, was arrested early Saturday at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport by authorities with the U.S. Marshall's Service, Christian County Sheriff's Office and Louisville Metro Police Department, according to Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear's office. Martin has been indicted by a Christian County grand jury on three counts of murder; one count of arson; one count of attempted arson, burglary in the first degree and three counts of tampering with physical evidence. Lanesha Gipson, a spokeswoman for American Airlines, said Martin has worked as a pilot for PSA Airlines, an American subsidiary, since January 2018. Martin has been placed on administrative suspension pending the outcome of the criminal investigation, Gipson said. A criminal background check that all pilots undergo turned up no criminal history on Martin "that would disqualify him from being a commercial pilot," Gipson added. "All of us at American Airlines and PSA Airlines are deeply saddened to have learned about these allegations from 2015," Gipson said. "We have an unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our customers and team members, and we will provide any investigative assistance possible to law enforcement throughout their investigation.” Martin's arrest came one day after a Christian County grand jury indicted him in the 2015 slayings of Calvin and Pamela Phillips and Edward Dansereau. Calvin Phillips was found shot to death Nov. 18, 2015, in his home in Pembroke. The bodies of his wife, Pamela Phillips, and the couple's neighbor, Dansereau, were found a few miles away in a corn field inside a burned car owned by Pamela Phillips. Beshear announced the indictment Saturday, nearly two years after he said he met with the couple's son, Matt, who was worried the case had stalled. After that meeting, Beshear accepted a request from the local commonwealth's attorney to appoint a special prosecutor from his office to handle the case. “I hope this is a day that brings some justice to these families,” Beshear said. “There are many steps from here, but we hope this is one example of when you never stop seeking justice, when you never give up, that we can truly get important results for these families.” According to Beshear's office, Martin moved out of Christian County after the alleged slayings and was living in North Carolina at the time of the indictment. The indictment had been sealed until Martin was arrested. According to Beshear's office, family members of the victims expressed an "overflowing of emotion, sincere relief, and absolute gratitude to all those who have worked diligently on this case.” "We look forward to justice in court, and we look forward to a verdict to bring an end to this terror, and a fresh start at healing," the family members of the victims said in a statement. The Christian County Sheriff's Office and Kentucky State Police also investigated the case. Martin will be returned to Christian County to await trial. Christian County Circuit Court Judge John Adkins has ordered Martin held without bond, according to court records. The Special Prosecutions Unit in Beshear's office will prosecute the case.