HUMAN REMAINS DISCOVERED IN BURNED OUT VEHICLE; AFTER CONFESSION BY SUSPECT TO HIS DAUGHTER, HE VOLUNTARILY TURNED HIMSELF IN TO COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE
FAIRLEY D. NAPIER (PHOTO top), 47, OF CLAYHOLE, KY., TURNED HIMSELF IN TO THE BREATHITT COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE, ON SUNDAY JANUARY 7; AFTER KENTUCKY STATE POLICE HAD FILED THE CHARGES OF MURDER AND TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE, INVOLVING THE HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN A BURNED OUT VEHICLE, WHICH WERE BELIEVED TO BE THAT OF A MISSING WOMAN, JOANIE CAMPBELL (PHOTO bottom).
A Breathitt County, Kentucky man was charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with a missing woman’s death during this past weekend.
According to Kentucky State Police Post 13, in Hazard, KY., located in Perry County, on Saturday, January 6, 2023, at approximately 4:50 P.M., KSP Post troopers responded to a tip that a burnt vehicle had been located on Spicewood Road, in the South Fork community of Breathitt County. Inside the vehicle, human remains were located. Detectives with Post 13 responded to the scene to continue the investigation.
Through the investigation, detectives developed a person of interest who was located and interviewed. The results of the interview concluded with charges being filed. Fairley D. Napier, 47, of Clayhole, KY., was placed under arrest and was charged with one count of
- Murder, and one count of
- Tampering With Physical Evidence.
Officials with the Breathitt County Sheriff Office reported Fairley Napier turned himself in on Sunday morning.
According to the arrest citation from the Breathitt County Circuit Clerk’s office regarding the arrest of Fairley Napier, Kentucky State Police Post 13 troopers reportedly opened a missing person’s case involving a woman, identified as Joanie Campbell.
Joanie Campbell was last seen at the Marathon station in Jackson, Kentucky next to Walgreens on Kentucky Highway 15. That was Thursday afternoon, January 4, around 2 P.M. Joanie Campbell was last seen in a white 2017 KIA Optima with tinted windows.
Troopers said during their investigation they learned Fairley Napier was the last person to see Joanie Campbell on January 4.
From interviews that KSP troopers conducted, they were advised that Joanie Campbell had kids in common with Fairley Napier, and that Joanie Campbell had stated that Fairley Napier had threatened to harm her in the past.
As the investigation continued, police reportedly found a burnt car on property logged by Fairley Napier. The arrest citation states that police reportedly found human remains on the vehicle which they said matched the description of a car driven by Joanie Campbell.
Troopers also reportedly found a skidder and dozer on the property that belonged to Fairley Napier. Troopers wrote in the arrest citation that the skidder also had human remains and body tissue on it.
The arrest citation also states that troopers were told during the investigation that Fairley Napier had reportedly made comments to his daughter, identified as Chelsea Napier, that, “He had gotten tired of seeing her laying in the log yard and looking at her.”
According to the arrest citation report, Chelsea Napier reportedly told police that, “Fairley admitted to burning the body.”
Fairley Napier was taken to and lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail in Hazard, KY.
The human remains that had been located were sent to the Medical Examiner’s office in Frankfort, KY. pending an autopsy and positive identification. More information will be released once positive identification has been made. This incident remains under investigation by KSP Post 13 Detective Eric Caldwell.
