Amy Bosley

Case record: Amy Bosley

People

• Amy Bosley — defendant, wife of Bob Bosley (murder victim)
• Bob Bosley — 41-year-old businessman; roofing business owner; victim
• Trevor Bosley — one of Bob Bosley and Amy Bosley’s children; aged 9 (also referenced as nine and 7 and 10 age ranges appear in the material)
• Morgan Bosley — one of Bob Bosley and Amy Bosley’s children; aged 6 (also referenced as six and 7 and 10 age ranges appear in the material)
• Debbie Webb — Bob Bosley’s sister
• James Bosley — Bob Bosley’s brother
• Audrey Bosley — Bob Bosley’s mother
• Judge John Stine — presided at the courthouse proceedings where Amy Bosley appeared before a jury
• Judge Fred Stine — judge who abided by the plea agreement and sentenced Amy Bosley
• Detective Dave Fickensecher — detective who commented on the scene and the evidence
• Prosecutor Michelle Snodgrass — prosecutor who commented on testimony and motive
• Prosecutor Jack Porter — prosecutor who commented on the investigation and evidence
• Defence attorney Jim Morgan — defense counsel
• Police chief Keith Hill — police chief who made statements to the media

Timeline

• May 17, 2005 — Police responded to Amy Bosley’s 911 call reporting an intruder; Bob Bosley was found dead in the bedroom after being shot multiple times.
• Ten days after Bob Bosley was shot and killed — Amy Bosley was arrested for the murder.
• A week later (after the arrest) — A Glock handgun was found in Amy Bosley’s purse.
• November 3, 2006 — Amy Bosley walked into a Campbell County courtroom for sentencing-related proceedings described as a short hearing; Judge Fred Stine sentenced her to 20 years in prison for murdering her husband.
• November 2, 2006 — Sentencing to 20 years in prison is stated as occurring on this date.

Background

Amy Bosley had been described as a devoted mother and community figure in Campbell, Kentucky, and as a business partner to her husband, Bob Bosley. The couple owned a million-dollar roofing business and had planned to build a castle-like mansion on a 35-acre estate. Their weekend retreat was a luxury cabin in woodland in Campbell County, Kentucky.

Investigators later described the Bosley marriage as having been unlike Amy Bosley claimed, including references to Bob Bosley spending most weekends on his boat on Lake Cumberland and holding parties with women. Police and prosecutors also connected the case to the financial downfall of the roofing business, including claims that Amy Bosley embezzled nearly $2 million that should have been paid to IRS tax authorities.

The offence

On the morning of the shooting, Amy Bosley made a frantic 911 call reporting that an intruder was breaking into their home. She told the dispatcher: “Someone is breaking into my house. What can I do? Help me, help me.”

Before the dispatcher could reply, Amy Bosley added: “Oh my God, he's shot my husband. He's shot Bob. I think he's still in the house.”

Police found Bob Bosley dead in the master bedroom. His body was described as torn by at least seven revolver bullets, and also described as shot seven times, and as shot six times while he slept. The cabin was described as ransacked and heavily damaged, with broken doors and windows and possessions and clothes strewn around. Investigators and police commented that the scene appeared extremely violent and that no intruder was found.

Amy Bosley’s account included that a man broke in through a glass door, got into a shouting match with Bob Bosley, and then shot him. Prosecutors said the children’s statements contradicted that account, including that the glass in the back door had been shattered after the gunshots to make it look like a break-in.

Investigation

Police chief Keith Hill told the media: “We believe that a white male suspect entered the Bosley cabin through the back door which was broken. ” He continued: “The strange thing is that nothing appears to be missing and no gun or shell casings have been found. We have no motive at this time and no explanation as to why Bob Bosley was killed.”

Amy Bosley made statements at the same press conference including: “We have every faith in the police department and the investigation to find this killer. We are helping the authorities in every way we can. " She also said: “Unfortunately as of now all I can remember is that I woke up and was on the floor. I heard shots and I saw a man leave the house.”

Police searched the house and grounds, used sniffer dogs, and conducted helicopter searches, but found no intruder. Police later described the appearance of the crime scene as staged, including comments about bullet shell casings being found in unusual places.

Detective Dave Fickensecher stated: “This is overkill...No intruder would kill the guy like this and then destroy the place.” He also described the scene: “It was a very bloody scene," and “You could see bullet-holes everywhere. The once immaculate cabin was a shambles. Whatever had gone on was extremely violent.” He commented on police disbelief about aspects of Amy Bosley’s conduct: “Her actions weren't appropriate. He's dead just two hours and she's bashing him in a police interview,” and “The big secret was the financial downfall of the business.”

Prosecutor Michelle Snodgrass described the motive theory to court: “Our case is that she was destroying his business to get even with him for being unfaithful,” and she said: “The first thing that woke the children up was gunshots,” and “They heard the glass breaking after the gunshots. This testimony was crucial but as no one wanted the children, now living with their grandparents, to be forced to give evidence against their mother, the prosecution offered a plea-bargain involving a lighter sentence to save the youngsters from testifying.”

Prosecutor Jack Porter said about checks: hundreds of unmailed checks to the IRS totaling about $1.7 million in back taxes were found in Amy Bosley’s car, and he stated: “Weeks before the shooting, Amy met with an IRS agent who informed her they were investigating Bob for nonpayment of taxes.” He also said: “As far as we could find, that was the only thing that sort of made a little bit of sense, I guess. But how do you make sense out of this thing really? A divorce is pretty easy to get.” Porter added: “We know that there were financial matters she was attempting to hide from her husband,” and “As far as we could find, that was the only thing that sort of made a little bit of sense, I guess. He further said: “She was hiding more than $1 million in financial liabilities from her husband.”

Defence attorney Jim Morgan argued evidence limitations and alternative possibilities, including: “There were no witnesses, no DNA evidence and the possibility of another killer can't be ruled out because Bob Bosley had made many enemies through his business dealings.” Morgan also stated about shell casings: “Just like coins typically fall out of your pocket in the washing machine, the shell casings [did too],” and said they were old and left from target practice.

Evidence described

• An emergency call transcript made at 5am in which Amy Bosley reported an intruder and then said her husband had been shot and that he might still be in the house.
• Amy Bosley’s handbag was described as being hidden in the back a cupboard in the cabin and contained a Glock handgun from Bob Bosley’s collection.
• A Glock handgun was found in Amy Bosley’s purse after her arrest.
• Prosecutors cited statements by the Bosley children about the timing of gunshots and glass breaking.
• Bullet shell casings were described as being limited and found in unusual locations.
• Lead slugs were described as being too mutilated to definitively match to the found weapon.

Arrest

Amy Bosley was arrested and charged with murder three days after the murder.

Trial

Amy Bosley appeared before Judge John Stine and a jury at the Campbell County courthouse. Prosecutor Michelle Snodgrass claimed a police search found Amy Bosley’s handbag hidden in the back of a cupboard containing a Glock handgun from her husband’s collection. Defence attorney Jim Morgan responded that no ammunition had been found there and that there was no evidence the weapon was used to kill Bob Bosley, and that “There were no witnesses, no DNA evidence and the possibility of another killer can't be ruled out because Bob Bosley had made many enemies through his business dealings.”

Prosecutors presented the two Bosley children’s statements that glass in the back door had been shattered after the murder to make it look like a break-in.

The prosecution offered a plea bargain to avoid the children testifying at trial, and Amy Bosley changed her plea to guilty. It was described that Amy Bosley entered a plea to save her children from testifying.

Verbatim quoted statements

• Prosecutor Michelle Snodgrass said: “The first thing that woke the children up was gunshots,” and “They heard the glass breaking after the gunshots.”
• Prosecutor Jack Porter said: “The children would've testified the breaking of the glass happened after the gunshot, so they were critical, critical witnesses,” and “And there wasn't any way around putting them on the stand.”

Defence and prosecution positions

• Amy Bosley denied having anything to do with the crime and told detectives: “I loved Bob, despite any problems we had,” and “We didn't have a perfect marriage -who does? - but he was the father of my children and I had no reason to shoot him.”
• Jim Morgan said the plea was entered for one reason: to save her children from testifying, and maintained she was not guilty.

Sentencing

Amy Bosley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murdering her husband. The plea agreement spared her children from testifying at her trial.

In a separate description of the plea agreement, it was stated that Amy Bosley pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence as well, and that she was expected to be sentenced to 20 years for murder and five years for the tampering charge, with sentences served concurrently.

The sentencing hearing was scheduled for November 2, and the sentencing hearing described as held with Judge Fred Stine included a sentence of 20 years in prison.

Appeals

No appeals were described in the provided material.

Outcome

Amy Bosley pleaded guilty and received a 20-year prison sentence. The material also described that her sentencing followed the plea agreement.

A civil suit filed by the family of Robert Bosley was expected to be cleared up next week.

Aftermath

Family members confronted Amy Bosley after the plea and sentencing hearing.

James Bosley said: “You can walk out of gaol, dig up the loot we believe you stole from my brother's business and live the rest of your life in luxury. " He continued: “All we hope is that every night you see the face of my brother and the tear-stained faces of your children who have been turned into orphans and who saw horrors that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. ” In another quoted exchange, James Bosley said: “You have no respect for life,” and “You are a liar and a fake.”

Debra Webb wanted to know about Bob Bosley’s final moments and said: “Did he yell out for you to stop? We'll never know,” looking at Amy face to face.

Audrey Bosley read a letter to her son, including: “I didn't get to see my son. I didn't get to tell him goodbye,”

The material also included a statement by Campbell County Commonwealth Attorney Jack Porter: “The public may never know "the exact motive" for the killing.”

Prosecutors and family also discussed money matters and parole speculation, including: “I think that there's money buried, and when she makes parole, one of the first stops she makes is to go get that,” and the statement: “Amy didn't care if those kids were on the stand,” and “She don't even care about them today. She could care less about them kids. She's not even a mother in my eyes.”

Other details

Initial emergency call and immediate events

Police responded to the cabin in the early morning of May 17, 2005, after Amy Bosley’s 911 call reporting an intruder. It was described that Amy Bosley sounded as though she was talking to the person and warned the burglar not to go upstairs where the children were sleeping. Three nearby schools were locked down.

Comments about suspects and descriptions

Authorities described Amy Bosley’s account as an “intruder” and searched for someone resembling: “a white guy in his thirties, very tall and with a pointed very mean face.”

Statements about marriage, threats, and investigations

Debbie Webb recalled: “Amy once told me that if Bob was ever unfaithful to her or left her she would shoot him.I didn't take this seriously but it lingered in the back of my mind.” Another account attributed to Debbie included: “She told me if Bobby ever left her that she would shoot him in his sleep.”

Detective Dave Fickensecher commented on the case framing: “Just like coins typically fall out of your pocket in the washing machine, the shell casings [did too],” and that police did not accept the defence explanation.

Victim and weapon details

Bob Bosley was described as being shot with a revolver bullets; the firearm described later included a 9 mm handgun and a Glock handgun. The material also stated that police could not definitively match the handgun to the lead slugs because the slugs were too mutilated.