Rowan County Double Murder: Mother and Daughter Identified, Suspect in Custody

ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. — A tragic double murder is under investigation after a mother and her teenage daughter were found dead inside a Rowan County home Friday morning. The Rowan County Coroner’s Office confirmed the victims as 37-year-old Kayla Blake and her 13-year-old daughter, Kennedi McWhorter. Authorities say a welfare check was requested shortly after 10 a.m. when Blake failed to show up for work. First responders discovered the bodies at a residence on Spring Street in Morehead. Kentucky State Police quickly identified 44-year-old Joshua W. Cottrell of Morehead as the suspect. Troopers, along with other agencies, later located him at a Paducah area hospital around 2 p.m. After receiving treatment, he was released into police custody and charged with two counts of murder and one count of tampering with physical evidence. He is currently being held in the McCracken County Jail. Coroner John Northcutt said autopsies are scheduled for Saturday at the state medical examiner’s office in Frankfort. He did not release information on the manner of death. The Kentucky State Police Eastern Crime Lab processed the scene, and the case remains an active investigation. Rowan County Middle School confirmed Kennedi’s passing in a statement, saying the school community is grieving the loss of one of its students. Counselors will be available for students and staff over the weekend and throughout next week to provide support.