Letcher County woman’s death being investigated by KSP

Published 4:06 pm Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Kentucky State Police (KSP) at the Hazard Post are continuing their investigation into the weekend death of a Letcher County woman, apparently at the hand of animals.

According to the KSP, on Sunday, June 9, shortly before 1:00 a.m., dispatchers received a 911 call regarding the body of a woman being found dead on Doty Creek in the Jeremiah community of Letcher County.

Troopers, along with detectives responded to the scene. The dead woman was identified as Trina Sandlin, 57 of Jerimiah. The preliminary investigation indicates that she had left her home earlier in the evening to go to a neighbor’s residence but never returned. Family members told the KSP they discovered Sandlin near her home over an embankment and had suffered injuries consistent with an animal attack.

Email newsletter signup

While the KSP has not said what kind of animal was responsible, Letcher County Coroner Perry Fowler told the Lexington Herald-Leader that Sandlin was attacked by canines but could not say if they were dogs or coyotes.

She was pronounced deceased on scene by the Letcher County Coroner’s Office and her body has been taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for an autopsy. The KSP has not yet released the finding of the autopsy.

Sandlin’s death remains under investigation by State Police Detective Brandon Thomas.