Gunman wounds Kentucky senator and kills his daughter, 32, in mysterious shootout at $6.5m mansion


The 32-year-old daughter of a former Kentucky senator was killed while her father was wounded in a shooting during a home invasion at the family mansion in the state.  

Jordan Morgan, who lived part-time at the home in Richmond died while her father was taken to hospital, state police said.

Former state Rep. Wesley Morgan owns the home, according to the Madison County property valuation administrator’s office and had previously been put up for sale by Morgan.

The 32-year-old daughter of Rep. Wesley Morgan, Jordan Morgan, was killed during a home invation

The 32-year-old daughter of Rep. Wesley Morgan, Jordan Morgan, was killed during a home invation

The incident unfolded at Morgan's $6.5million mansion in Richmond, Kentucky, pictured

The incident unfolded at Morgan’s $6.5million mansion in Richmond, Kentucky, pictured

Morgan confirmed to the Lexington Herald Leader that his daughter, Jordan had been killed. He also said that both he and his wife were ‘shot up.’ 

Mr Morgan was taken to a hospital after the shooting but released back home later on Tuesday. 

Several people were asleep at the home when someone or possibly a group of people entered the home and fired shots, police said. Morgan was able to return fire, police said.

The armed suspect then left the home and no other shots were fired. 

Investigators were back at the scene Wednesday afternoon. Sgt.Robert Purdy, pictured, is appealing to the public for help

Investigators were back at the scene Wednesday afternoon. Sgt.Robert Purdy, pictured, is appealing to the public for help

Former state Rep. Wesley Morgan, 71, was shot together with his wife after he exchanged gunfire with a home invader before dawn on Tuesday

Former state Rep. Wesley Morgan, 71, was shot together with his wife after he exchanged gunfire with a home invader before dawn on Tuesday

Kentucky State Police said they received a call at 4:30am 

Detectives were still in the ‘very early stages, preliminary stages of the investigation,’ Kentucky State Police Trooper Robert Purdy said and that a motive was not yet known.

‘This isn’t the kind of incident or situation that we see a whole lot of in Madison County,’ he told NBC News.

‘I know the family and it’s a tragic loss for the community. As a dad myself, I can’t imagine anything like that happening. Our hearts go out to them.’ 

Investigators were back at the scene Wednesday afternoon. Sgt. Purdy was appealing to the public for help.

‘Frankly, we believe someone knows something and we would just like accurate information to follow up on,’ he said.  

The Madison County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Morgan had been shot ‘more than once. 

Morgan served one term as a state representative for Richmond and Berea in Madison County. 

While in office, Morgan, who owns several Kentucky liquor stores, was charged with illegally transporting alcohol across county lines. 

To do so was illegal at the time without a transporter’s license.

The home was said to be 'the most secure home on the market' and built to withstand an earthquake

The home was said to be ‘the most secure home on the market’ and built to withstand an earthquake

A judge ultimately dropped the charges, after state law was changed.

Morgan went on to unsuccessfully challenge Senator Mitch McConnell in the state’s Republican primary in 2020.

His daughter, Jordan Morgan had worked on Republican Matt Bevin’s successful 2015 campaign for Kentucky governor and worked with him for a year-and-a-half afterwards as a member of his communications team. 

In 2017, she left the world of politics to become as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney prosecuting felonies, based in Boone County. She had recently joined the Reminger law office in Lexington. 

‘Reminger wishes to express its sincere condolences to the Morgan family,’ the firm said in a statement. ‘She was a pleasant colleague and a promising attorney. We are shocked and saddened at the circumstances surrounding her unfortunate death.’ 

Jordan had last been in the news in 2017 after receiving inappropriate text messages from one of four House Republicans involved in a secret sexual harassment settlement with another female staffer.

One message shown to  The Courier Journal read ‘You are like six foot tall with jet black hair and high heels and can probably find some way to persuade anyone about anything if force is needed lol.’  

Morgan had listed his 14,300-square-foot six bedroom, seven bathroom mansion for sale last year. The property came complete with an underground, steel reinforced bunker

Morgan had listed his 14,300-square-foot six bedroom, seven bathroom mansion for sale last year. The property came complete with an underground, steel reinforced bunker

When the home was listed for sale it was advertised complete with a nuclear bunker and able to withstand nuclear attack and the strongest of earthquakes. Pictured, the food reserves

When the home was listed for sale it was advertised complete with a nuclear bunker and able to withstand nuclear attack and the strongest of earthquakes. Pictured, the food reserves

Morgan had listed his 14,300-square-foot six bedroom, seven bathroom mansion for sale last year. 

It comes complete with a saltwater pool, steam sauna and heated floors set on 200 acres of lakefront property. 

However, perhaps its most unusual feature is a 2,000-square-foot, fully stocked underground bunker set behind a huge steel and concrete door.

The $6.5million listing advertised the home as being able to withstand nuclear attack and the strongest of earthquakes with the bunker alone valued at $3 million.

‘It was built by someone who wanted the ultimate fallout shelter. He wanted it to be very secure, and he wanted it to have things that none of the other ones had,’ listing agent Marilyn Hoffman of Hoffman International Properties told Realtor.com. ‘It’s a nuclear, biological, and chemical fallout shelter.’

Zillow described the home as being ‘the most secure home on the market in this country.’ 

‘I just wanted someplace safe,’ said Morgan at the time the home was on the market.  

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